Struggles of the Heart
by Emma Hardy
Summary: My version of the Seventh book with some twists.  Harry and Ron go on the Horcrux journey leaving Hermione behind on a request from Harry to look after Ginny.  With permission from Ron to move on, Hermione seeks warmth from someone she never expected.
1. Chapter 1: You're My Reason

Author's Note: Hello! Thanks to everyone who read my first story, "A New Dark Lord." Here's my second story which takes place 7th year at Hogwarts. Things go just a little differently, here. If you're expecting it to be like the "Deathly Hallows" with a twist, don't. ENJOY!! And don't forget to REVIEW!!!!

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns "Harry Potter."

**Chapter One**

**You're My Reason**

Harry, Ron and Hermione were gathered in his and Ron's room on July 29th after dinner talking over the matter. "No, Harry, we're going with you whether you like it or not. You can't do this on your own, we don't care what you say," Hermione insisted, though, not being very persuading.

"Listen, I wish I could have you there, but this is something I need to do myself. I wish Dumbledore were here to help me, but he's not. I think he told me because he knew he was going to die, and let me tell you incase something happened to me and you should have to finish out the task yourselves." Harry would not let up.

"Harry, mate," Ron began. He spoke a little closer to Harry's ear trying not to let Hermione hear even though that was impossible when she was less than a foot away. "You need _someone_. You can't do this on your own."

"Really, Harry," Hermione pushed Ron aside a little, still angry with him for not making a move on her last year. "Why do you want us to stay here so bad, anyway?"

Harry took a deep breath and eyed them both carefully before speaking. "The truth is, I would love to have you both with me, but Ginny will be lonely if we all go. I need to know someone's looking out for her. Don't tell me you can't imagine her getting fed up and coming to look for us?"

Ron looked defeated as he frowned and said quietly, "Yeah, I can definitely see that." Hermione agreed silently, nodding her head slowly a couple of times.

"Well, then. You'll stay?"

"No," said Ron. "I won't. You're my best friend, Harry, and as much as I love my sister, someone needs to look out for _you_, too." He paused and looked at Hermione, then back at Harry. "Hermione can stay."

"WHAT? ARE YOU MAD? It's 'cause I'm a girl isn't it? You men just want to leave the weaker sex behind."

"No, we just love you both," Harry said.

"Harry," Hermione stared deeply into his eyes. "Ginny loves you, too. Imagine how she'll feel if something happens to _you_."

"She knows I have to take care of business. Don't make it sound like I'm leaving her without a thought. And, how do you know she loves me?"

"Harry." Hermione put her hand on his knee. "Can't you see it when she looks at you?"

"Maybe I was trying not to see it because I knew I was leaving. I can't think that way. Voldemort has to be stopped, you both know that." At that, Hermione nodded silently, making it quite plain that she understood his reasoning, and agreed with it, even if she didn't agree with being left behind.

"Fine," she said bluntly. "I'll stay. But I'm doing it for Ginny, not because I'm afraid to go. You're right, she needs someone, and her brother shouldn't be the one to comfort her about her boyfriend being in danger…you know."

"Right," said Ron, his eyes darting back and forth then moving towards his feet. "That might be awkward."

Harry hugged Hermione. Still squeezing her he said, "Thank you, Hermione, really. You'll be glad you finished your seventh year, too. I know you wouldn't want to miss your NEWTS." He pulled away from the hug and held her shoulders at an arms distance. "Please just make sure she's okay." He got up and walked towards the window, pulling aside the curtain slightly, looking down at Ginny sitting with Bill and Fleur on the porch. It looked like they might be going over last minute details for tomorrow's wedding. Harry wondered in the back of his mind if Ginny ever thought about their wedding, or if there would ever be one. "If she needs to hear it, explain to her that I asked you to stay behind for her, and that I said I love her: only if she really needs to hear it. I don't really want her to know this was planned. She'll feel inferior or something ridiculous like that."

"I understand, Harry." That was all Hermione could say. Without looking at her Harry knew her eyes were full of tears, the same way his were.

The next day they woke early to Mrs. Weasley shouting up the stairs at them to "get their rear ends out of bed." Fleur's parents would be arriving shortly and they needed to be downstairs to meet them. Harry rolled out of bed and threw the covers off of Ron who crumpled up in a ball at the feel of the cold air on his bare chest. "Get up, you lazy git."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm comin' Harry."

They went downstairs to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was standing over the stove, supervising her wand doing all the cooking. Hermione and Ginny were already at the table, and judging by the expression on Ginny's face, Hermione hadn't told her a thing. "Good morning," he told her.

"Is it?" she asked grumpily.

Harry eyed Hermione questioningly, who, in turn, shrugged her shoulders. Harry figured she knew there was plotting going on in their room last night that didn't involve her. Little did she know how much it did involve her. Harry silently thanked Hermione again for being so understanding about staying behind. As far as he was concerned, the only reason she was the one staying behind is because she would be better at taking care of Ginny, here and at Hogwarts. He'd much rather have some book smarts on this journey with him, but what could you do? He was glad Ron was coming, anyway.

After an awkward breakfast and getting ready, it was time for the wedding to start. Harry walked down the stairs in his dress robes. Ginny was already standing at the entrance to the back yard wearing her bridesmaid's dress. Her hair was loosely curled and hung down over her shoulders, and that dress…it was perfect. She looked up at him staring at her and smiled. He walked down the steps and as he walked past her to go outside, he tilted his head towards her ear and said, "You look amazing," while his hand grazed the small of her back.

Two hours later, Bill and Fleur had said their I-dos and the altar had been cleared away and replaced with enough tables to seat everyone for dinner. When dinner had been finished, the tent was transformed, yet again, into a dance floor, leaving just a few tables to the side for people to rest at.

Harry and Ron were standing to the side, taking in the action before Hermione and Ginny appeared at the entrance to the tent. Looking at each other and wordlessly agreeing on a plan, they walked over to the two girls, and held out their arms respectively. For a moment, Harry just held Ginny's hand, and when they reached the dance floor, he took the other and placed them both around his neck. He put his own hands around her back and pulled her close.

"I know you're leaving in the morning, Harry."

He pulled away a little, looking into her enchanting brown gaze. Her eyes sparkled slightly with tears. He put his forehead to hers and they cried silently. He kissed her forehead and pressed her ear to his chest. Now Harry could feel her heaving sobs and his tears leaked into her perfect hair. They stayed like that for a while…a long while. By the time they wrenched themselves apart, the band was packing up and most of the guests had gone. How long had they been like that? It must have been hours, but neither of them had aches in their feet, only their hearts.

Harry had planned to wake up early in the morning and leave without saying a word to anyone. Hermione said her goodbyes the night before as she went off to sleep. Harry suspected that she and Ron had a private goodbye. What it consisted of, he didn't know. Harry wanted last night's events with Ginny to be enough, but they weren't and he knew that. He wanted to leave without making a scene. Wouldn't that be easier for everyone?

His and Ron's bags were all packed, and they had shut the door to Ron's room behind them. Harry was fine as they walked down the hall, but when they passed Ginny's room he felt a wrench in his gut. What the hell was he doing? He loved her, damn it, and she needed to know that. What if while he was gone, she decided that it was too hard to wait? No, he didn't want her to be miserable, she should move on. Who was he kidding? When finished with Voldemort, he would hunt down anyone who touched her while he was away. Why did he ever break up with her? Yes, fine, he didn't want Voldemort to go after her, but couldn't it just be their secret?

"I'll be right down, Ron." Ron nodded and walked the rest of the way down the stairs to wait in the living room.

Harry knocked softly on the door. He knew Hermione was up, waiting for them to pass so she knew when they had gone. She was at the door within seconds and she and Harry traded places. She waited in the hallway while he went inside. Ginny looked so peaceful. Sleeping on her side, her gorgeous red hair was spread out behind her and her hands were cupped up close to her neck. For a moment he just watched her sleep, and then he went over and got under the covers next to her. He knew it was risky, but he couldn't have cared less.

Harry pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. She opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around him in return. Ginny felt so warm next to him, he felt like he was going to melt.

He brought a hand to her hair, and brushed it from her face, tracing his hand around her jaw line. Eventually it ended up cupping the back of her head with her hair laced between his fingers. "Ginny, I couldn't leave things like this. I was stupid, forgive me."

"For what, Harry?"

"Forgive me for breaking up with you. It was fucking stupid. I love you more than anything in this entire world." Again, tears poured out of the corners of his eyes. She reached up and wiped them away, pushing his glasses up to rest on top of his head. "I just want to know that you'll be here, when I get back. I want to know I'll have you for my own, and that some other ass hole won't come sweep you off your feet."

She pulled him in and kissed him deeply, feeling his back up and down, memorizing every inch of skin, the bump of every toned Quidditch-playing muscle. Harry kissed her back, memorizing her the same way. She looked him deep in the eyes. "I love you too, Harry, you know that now. I'll be here when you get back."

He smiled and said, "There's just one thing. Try to keep in on the down-low that we're still together. I still don't want you in danger. I have a feeling that if Voldemort knows we're up to something he'll use you as a hostage."

"I'll do anything you say, Harry."

"That means being good and not taking any dangerous matters into your hands. Hermione's staying here with you. I didn't want you to be lonely."

"Thank you, Harry, my love. Oh, I'm going to miss you terribly."

"I know. I'll miss you more. I just need to remember this moment forever." He smelled her hair and kissed her forehead.

Ginny got up out of bed and walked over to her dresser where she pulled out a camera while he sat up. Walking back over to him and sitting, she grabbed him close and kissed him, taking a picture with her arm extended to snap the photograph herself. Two pieces of parchment appeared out of thin air, landing in their outstretched palms. He looked down and there they were, kissing. He could taste her lips even as he looked at it.

"You're brilliant." He kissed her long and good. "I have to go," he said reluctantly. "Ron's waiting downstairs. I love you, Ginny Weasley."

"I love you too, Harry Potter." Ginny kissed him once on the mouth before ushering him towards the door, grasping his hand firmly. "I'll be here waiting. Come back soon, Harry."

"You're my reason." He pressed the photograph to his heart and put it safely in his back pocket, and then he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2: The Hogwarts Express

Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I'm glad you all enjoyed the first chapter…thank you to the people who reviewed; it motivated me to write this chapter…ENJOY AND REVIEW!!

**Chapter Two**

**The Hogwarts Express**

On the morning of the first of September, Hermione woke early. The sun was extra bright that morning, and adding to it was the fact that Ginny's room was on the eastern side of the house.

Hermione just lay in bed for a few moments before getting up. Today was the day they were leaving for Hogwarts. At eleven o'clock they would be closing the doors of the Hogwarts express…and Harry and Ron wouldn't be on it. She looked over at Ginny, still sleeping soundly. It had taken Ginny an awful long time to fall asleep the night before, and every night for the past month. She couldn't stop thinking about Harry. Most nights she just silently cried herself to sleep with a picture of her and Harry kissing right next to her. Hermione figured it was taken right before Harry left. Now she couldn't help but wonder if getting back together was the smartest move Harry could have made.

As for Hermione, she didn't think too much on Ron. Yes, she was worried, of course she was. She did love him, but not quite in the way she should. She did spend some time thinking about the conversation they had while Harry was "saying goodbye" to Ginny.

Hermione had gone downstairs to give Harry and Ginny some privacy and found Ron waiting on the couch.

"So, I suppose we can't stop him from following his heart no matter what's good for Ginny," she said as she sat down.

"If you mean you think they'll get back together right now, then I'm not so sure I agree with you," Ron said coyly.

"How do you mean?" she asked defensively.

"Well, Ginny's been pretty depressed since they broke up, and she'd miss him either way…"

"And…he broke up with her to keep her out of Voldemort's way…" she urged him to continue.

"That could still work. Nobody has to know that they're together. I just think that if they do get back together, he'll have something to come back to, and she'll alone at least knowing he loves her, rather than wondering if he ever really wanted her at all. Besides, I think she'd be willing to take the risk of You-Know-Who coming after her just to know that Harry loves her."

"I see your point…but you know…I'm going to miss you, too."

"Well, Harry and I will be back before you know it…"

"No, Ronald…I'm going to miss _you_. Like, in the way Ginny would miss Harry."

His cheeks turned bright red. "Hermione, we have nothing to work off of. We can't just start a relationship and say goodbye two minutes later. Harry and Ginny have been together before, and they're just picking up where they left off."

"I guess you're right," she said, putting her chin down.

Ron reached over and lifted her chin so she was looking him in the eye. Both pairs of eyes were watering. "I know we didn't really start anything last year, but I do love you, Hermione. I'm just not in love with you right now. Maybe if we were to give things a go later on, but like I said, that's just not a good idea right now." He took a deep breath as he considered her sad eyes. "I want you to find someone else, Hermione. Fall in love. There's someone else out there for me, I'll be fine."

"Ron…"

He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed her close to him. "I know, I know…" Then he just let her cry for a while. This was going to be hard on all four of them, and they all knew it. They hadn't been away from each other for this long in seven years of knowing each other. For Ron and Ginny it was even longer.

"Ron," she pulled away was stunned at the wetness in his blue eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." She kissed him on the lips. It would probably be the first and the last time. When they pulled apart it felt like goodbye. It was possible that they could be together some day, but she wouldn't dwell on it, and neither would he. If they both met someone else, then so be it.

Then Harry came downstairs and she hugged them both and watched them walk out the door and Disapparate to God knows where.

Now it was time to leave for school and this would be the hardest thing Hermione ever did. What would she do without her two best friends in the entire world? She and Ginny had each other, and that would have to be enough.

It was 10:53 and they were running past platforms five, six, seven, and eight…nine…and three-quarters. 10:56 and they made their way through the barrier. They loaded their luggage and struggled to find a private compartment. They found one right near the rear of the train and sat down.

"Ginny?" Hermione said in barely a whisper once they were settled. Ginny was sitting huddled up next to the window with her knees bent at an angle, and her hand holding up her chin. She looked like she was near tears, yet again.

"Yeah, Hermione?" she responded without looking away from the passing scenery.

"Do you really think it was a good idea to get back with Harry?"

This caused Ginny to look up from her silent reverie. "Yes, Hermione, I do." She got up and went and sat next to Hermione. "I would miss him anyway. I'd be miserable no matter what, but this way I know he's thinking of me, too, you know? I know he's coming back…for me. It helps, and I like to think the thought of me not moving on, but thinking only of him helps him get through sleepless nights, too."

"In a nutshell, that's what Ron said about the matter," Hermione admitted.

"Do you miss him?" Ginny asked with complete seriousness drawn across her face.

"Yes, but not in the same way you miss Harry, exactly. We decided that without a history like yours and Harry's it wouldn't be a good idea to start a new relationship right before they left."

"Do you love him?"

"He's my best friend, and I think I feel a connection with him that was never there with Harry, but I'm not in love with him, you know?"

"I think I understand what you mean."

"Harry's my best friend, too. It's just, Ron's…Ron. He's always been special."

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Ginny put a hand on her knee. "It must be hard."

"I'm sorry, too, but I'm not crushed, you know? I'd like to think I can be with someone else. I'm not sure Ron and I could have lasted as more than friends. Whoever I'm with will just have to understand the bond we have. Harry too. It's always been the three of us against the world, and now you, too."

"If someone who wants to be with you wouldn't understand that, then you wouldn't want them anyway."

"Exactly." The two friends smiled and hugged each other. For the time being they were just half of the four-some. The other half was somewhere out in the middle of Albania, probably.

Just then, Draco Malfoy came bounding into the compartment. Hermione scowled at the fact that she had been made Head with him. She couldn't help but wonder whose idea it was to make Malfoy Head Boy; then she remembered that Professor Snape had taken over as Headmaster. "Weasley," he acknowledged Ginny. Then he turned to Hermione, and was it her imagination, or did his expression soften a little? She had surely never noticed that before. She decided she was definitely seeing things. "Granger, we're supposed to talk to the Prefects at the front of the train."

"Right. I'll be there in a minute." He swept his black and green robes out of the cabin and walked swiftly away. Hermione turned back to Ginny. "Are you going to be all right?"

"Would you like to be alone, or should I find Neville to keep you company? Luna's a Prefect, so she can't. I would offer to find Dean, but Harry wouldn't like that, I would guess." This made Ginny laugh a little at the thought of a jealous Harry storming into the compartment seeing her with her ex as company.

"I think I'll be fine, thanks. Maybe I'll sleep a little."

"Okay, then. I'll be back in a while." With that, she closed the door behind her and proceeded the same way Malfoy had gone moments earlier.

She arrived at the front of the train and had to squeeze past a few Prefects. "Hello, Hermione." A dreamy voice came from her right.

"Oh, hello, Luna, how was your holiday?"

"It was great. Daddy and I went to Sweden again, but we still didn't manage to find any Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."

Hermione stifled a laugh. "What a shame. Well, excuse me, but I have to take care of business."

"Right. See you later, then."

Hermione spotted Malfoy up near the front of the group. She had to admit, he looked unusually handsome this year. She'd be seeing a lot of him, too. The Head Boy and Girl usually had to spend quite a bit of time together for various reasons, not to mention the fact that they had to share a common room. It was some ridiculous idea from whoever made the rules that the Head Boy and Girl had to be available to any students not in their houses, as well as those in them. Not too many students knew or cared where any House common room was except their own, especially first-years. They had a system where a student in need would tap the portrait outside the Heads' common room and state their name and business, and the portrait flipped sides to notify whoever was in the room.

"Malfoy!" she called. "I'm here, what do we do?"

"You're in charge of the Prefects from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and I'm in charge of Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Just tell them the drill."

"Will do." She stood on her tippy-toes and raised her hand in the air. "Could I see Prefects from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, please!" she shouted. Luna Lovegood, another Ravenclaw boy she knew to be named Geoff Braun, Colin Creevey, and a fifth-year Gryffindor by the name of Katie Storms walked over to her. She gave them a briefing on leading the first-years to their common rooms, and reminded them that they could come to her or Malfoy with any questions, also reminding that the entrance to the Heads' common room was behind the portrait of the first-ever Quidditch team, the Surrey Phoenix.

When just she and Malfoy were left, things turned a bit uncomfortable. "Well, um, I guess I'll see you in the common room after the welcome feast?" she said awkwardly.

"Yeah, I guess so." Then, it was as if the angels started singing from above and everyone in the whole world could hear it, because Draco smiled at Hermione.


	3. Chapter 3: Can I Be Honest?

Author's Note: Hello, my loyal readers! I would just like to give a shout-out to Autumn Skys for her last review which was amazing and hilarious! Thanks so much! Also, sorry the chapters have been so short. Here's one that's a bit longer! Enjoy and REVIEW!!

**Chapter Three**

**Can I Be Honest?**

The Great Hall seemed quieter this year during the welcome feast. Hermione figured that it just felt lonely without Ron and Harry. Maybe it was because she was absorbed in her own thought. Ever since they left the train, she couldn't stop thinking about Malfoy. She hadn't yet been to their common room, but that smile…Draco Malfoy hardly ever gave someone a friendly smile, let alone a Mudblood Gryffindor. The only possible explanation was that he had gone through some sort of transformation over the summer, but he had always been so mean to her, Ron, and Harry. Her thoughts were ceased with a welcome interruption from Snape.

Snape's speech would not have the same effect as Dumbledore's, there's no way it could. But, as he stood up from his Headmaster's chair his attitude seemed improved with power. Nevertheless, his monotonous voice remained the same. "Good evening, students. Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. As you may have guessed, I am your new Headmaster." Professor McGonagall gave a scowl as he said this. There was clearly a little bit of resentment going on between the two teachers. Hermione knew as well as anyone that McGonagall would have made a better Headmistress. "Professor Slughorn will be the permanent Potions teacher. Welcome back, old students, and first years, I wish you the best of luck." That last phrase had a slight emphasis of sarcasm embedded in it. "The usual rules apply this year, same as every other. The third floor corridor is off limits, along with the Forbidden Forest, hence the name. All students except Prefects and the Head Boy and Girl are to be in their common rooms by nine o'clock."

Hermione nudged Ginny and whispered, "This should be an interesting year…"

Ginny nodded and turned her attention back to the front where Snape was clearing his throat to calm down the sudden buzz from the House tables.

"Now, would the Head Boy and Girl please join me at the front along with the Prefects?"

Hermione got up and saw Malfoy, Luna, Colin, Katie, and Geoff do the same along with the Prefects from Slytherin and Hufflepuff. She wasn't sure of all of their names, but their faces definitely looked familiar to her.

She met them at the front and turned to face the rest of the school's waiting eyes. Snape's voice spoke over the buzz once more. "Ladies and gentlemen! I would like to introduce your Head Boy and Girl! Mr. Draco Malfoy and Miss Hermione Granger." He said the latter with somewhat more bite. Your respective House Prefects can introduce themselves later. Now if you will all head to your common rooms…first years follow your Prefects who will now stand at the end of the tables nearest the door." The Prefects did as they were told.

Once all the Houses had cleared out, Draco and Hermione left the Great Hall. They walked past all the portraits in awkward silence. Hermione kept adjusting her Head Girl badge while Draco looked down at his feet, his pace a little faster than hers. Hermione knew he, too, was wondering what it was going to be like to share a common room with someone you hated for the last six years of your life.

Draco reached the portrait of the Surrey Phoenix team first, and said to the Seeker in the center, "Eleka nahmen." He turned to Hermione and said, "I have no clue what that is, I didn't come up with it." Then it happened, again, he smiled at her and this time she felt all warm inside. Something just clicked and it felt right, she couldn't explain it. Draco Malfoy joked with her, Hermione Granger. She just couldn't believe it.

The portrait swung open and they stepped inside their new common room. It had a high ceiling and was decorated with exactly half green and silver, and half maroon and gold. Hermione guessed that the half that was decorated in Gryffindor spirit would have the door that led up to her dormitory. She walked over to the entrance, climbed the stairs and discovered she was right because her things were placed neatly at the end of her bed. She assumed Draco had done the same.

Hermione unpacked her things and by the time the very last pair of socks had been shoved in a drawer, she was exhausted. She went to take a shower before bed and realized the house elves must have forgotten to put towels in her bathroom. She figured maybe Draco had some extras, so she went downstairs but he wasn't in the common room.

Before attempting to go upstairs, she gave the common room a once-over to make sure the house elves didn't put them somewhere else. Seeing as they didn't she took a deep breath and decided to be the brave Gryffindor she knew she was. She was entering forbidden territory…a Slytherin's dorm room. She climbed the stairs and reaching the top, knocked on the door.

There was no answer, but the door was cracked open a little, so she slowly pushed it open and stepped inside. There were clothes half-in and half-out of his trunks, indicating that he had only begun to unpack. "Draco?" she called. There was no answer but she heard movement from the bathroom. "Draco, I was just wondering if you had extra towels. I don't seem to have any." She tip-toed toward the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Get the fuck out of here, Granger!"

"Draco, are you okay?"

"I said get out! What don't you understand about that! I don't have any God forsaken towels."

"Fine! Don't say I was never nice to you." With that, she ran out, slamming the door loudly behind her. She ran down the stairs to find Dobby, arms piled high with towels. He had clearly just entered the common room and heard the commotion.

"Is Miss okay?"

"Hey, Dobby. Yes, I'm all right. Let me take those towels from you." She lifted the weight of the towels off of the small house elf and placed them on a small round table off to the side.

"Can Dobby ask Hermione Granger a question?" Dobby asked rather coyly.

"Dobby, you know you can ask me anything. What is it?"

The elf seemed to hesitate slightly, as if it was against the rules to talk to a student, let alone ask a question that she guessed was personal. Finally his little voice spoke, "Where is Harry Potter this year? Dobby has seen only his girlfriend Miss Ginny, and he did not ask her because she looked sad."

Hermione frowned slightly. She wasn't quite sure how to answer Dobby. His big round eyes stared up at her questioningly. He looked so stricken that the first wizard who had ever been nice to him didn't return for his last year at Hogwarts. "Well, Dobby, Harry won't be coming this year." She knelt down near Dobby so she was eye level with him.

"Where has Harry Potter gone?"

"I'm sorry, Dobby, I just can't tell you that." Then she realized she didn't really know herself where they had gone. "To tell you the truth, Dobby, I'm not quite sure where he and Ron have gone myself."

"Ron Weasley is with Harry Potter?"

"Yes, Dobby, he is."

"That's good. Ron Weasley is Harry Potter's best friend. Harry Potter isn't alone."

This made Hermione want to cry. Even the elf knew the importance of having someone be there for you.

"But, why does Miss Hermione not go with Harry Potter, too?"

"Well, Harry asked me to stay here."

"To make sure Miss Ginny is okay?"

"That's exactly right, Dobby. Harry thought she needed a friend with as much as he needed Ron with him."

Then, the little elf did something she never thought would happen in a million years. He reached over and put his little arms around her neck. Hugging him back she said, "Dobby you have to promise me you won't punish yourself now for hugging a student." She smiled despite herself. She knew Dobby was prone to hurt himself for reasons such as these.

Dobby pulled away from the hug and took a couple small steps back. "Forgive Dobby for saying so, Miss, but Miss Hermione is not an ordinary student. She cares for Harry Potter and his girlfriend. She's a good friend. Now Dobby has to go."

"Okay, Dobby. And, thank you so much for the towels."

"Miss is welcome."

Hermione walked upstairs to finally take the shower she had been dying for. While she lathered up her shampoo, she wondered what was wrong with Malfoy. Surely it wasn't her imagination that he had smiled at her, and joked with her. He had changed, and yet something still wasn't quite right. Why had he yelled at her? She didn't have a good feeling about this.

When her shower was finished she thought it might be nice to go read by the fire. After towel-drying her hair and tying it back so it didn't go crazy on her like it usually did, she grabbed the new novel by a Muggle author she had just started, and went downstairs. She had planned to sit on the couch with her legs spread out, but that seat was already occupied. Malfoy turned around and glanced at her before putting his head back down. It surprised her a little that he was reading, too. She approached him warily, slightly frightened after the little episode upstairs earlier.

Hermione sat down in one of the armchairs next to the glowing fire and opened her book. A few moments passed in silence before anyone spoke.

"Hermione?"

"What?" she said with an understandably small amount of edge.

"Um, I kinda wanted to say…er…well…it's just that, the thing is…"

"Spit it out, will you?"

"Well, I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier, is all."

"Oh, well, that was my fault, too. I should have waited for an answer before bounding into your private bedroom." She continued to read, then looked up as he spoke.

"True," then he did it again. He smiled at her. It was never her imagination. What was going on, here? The next thing he did was so shocking she almost fell out of her chair, and would have probably started laughing at just the thought of it last year, but, "Would you like to sit on the couch? You look uncomfortable in the chair."

"WHAT?" She didn't mean to shout, really. "I mean, are you serious?"

"Why the hell would I make a joke out of a question like asking if you wanted the couch?"

Hermione sat up all the way now, feet on the floor, back straight, and stared straight at him. "Oh, I don't know, maybe because you're the Slytherin god, Draco Malfoy, who asked Hermione 'Mudblood Gryffindor' Granger if she wanted to trade seats because she looked uncomfortable."

"Well, if you don't want me to be nice, I won't be. I just figured since we had to share a common room and Head duties, that we should maybe…well, we should be friends." Malfoy looked a little awkward as he said this, but sincere at the same time.

Hermione realized she was being rude and relaxed in her chair a little. Then, being bold, she got up and sat next to him on the couch. "You're right. We should be friends. Who cares what anyone else thinks."

The both of them went back to reading their books and it went on like that for at least an hour. "Malfoy? I mean…Draco?"

He let out a little breath of laugh at her realization that she could use his first name. "Yeah?"

Hermione really was feeling particularly bold tonight. "What's the real reason you're being nice to me now? Forgive me; it just doesn't seem like you to change your mind about a person in the blink of an eye."

The both of them could tell now that they could trust each other, at least a little. Though it would naturally be easier for Malfoy to trust Hermione, she could see in his eyes that he needed a friend other than a Slytherin who couldn't talk about much more than which hand is your left, and which is your right. Crabbe and Goyle were prime examples of these "friends" in her mind.

He just sat there for a moment without answering her question, or even really acknowledging her presence. Then, "Can I be honest with you, Hermione?"

"That depends on if I'm going to like what I hear or not."

"I don't think you'll mind, at least I hope you don't. Just be prepared for a shock."

This worried her. "What? Are you going to tell me you're being nice to me because I'm dying or something?"

"No, it's nothing like that. It's just, you might not believe me at first, but know that I'm not lying to you, okay?"

"Okay." _Here goes nothing, _she thought.

"Well, for quite a while now, I've been completely in love with you." Hermione's eyes opened wide, but his couldn't seem to meet them. She wanted to laugh but he looked so sad, that she deemed it completely inappropriate.

"Why haven't you ever said this before? Why wait so long?"

"I was afraid, I guess. I was always around my friends, who, no offense, I knew wouldn't approve, and you were always with Ron and Harry who hate my guts. My only regret is that you hate me too because of how awful I've been to all of you. Their not being here is what gave me the courage, if you will, to be nice to you. That, and the fact that we're sharing a living space."

She looked at him sadly as he finally lifted his head and she saw tears in his eyes. It seemed to her that people had been crying an awful lot lately, but never Draco Malfoy. He was too tough to cry. Or was he?

"I don't hate you anymore. I did up until a few hours ago, but you've been nothing but nice to me all day. Except for that one time..."

"I know, and I apologized for that, but that's one thing I can't explain right now. So, now, I feel like I can tell you because Harry and Ron aren't here. I know you don't love me, and I didn't expect you to, but I wanted you to know, and now you do."

Hermione put her hand on his which was resting on his knee. "Are you saying you want to be with me, Draco?"

"Well, if you wanted to be with me, then yeah, that's what I'm saying." He looked at her hopefully. All he got in return was a squeeze on the hand and…

"I'm sorry, Draco. I just don't feel that way right now. I was really close to getting together with Ron this summer, and it never happened."

"He's a fool. But so was I, so who am I to judge?"

She smiled and continued; "Now I just really miss him and Harry. We've never had a year at Hogwarts without one another, and being in this common room instead of Gryffindor's with Ginny isn't helping."

"Does she miss Harry?" Even he wasn't sure why he asked this, but he was glad when Hermione didn't ask questions, but answered him simply.  
"Yeah, she does. I feel awful for her, actually. She misses him quite terribly and I wish I could be there for her."

"What about Ron? Do you miss him as much as Ginny misses Harry?"

She looked him deep in the eyes and knew she could tell him the truth. "Not quite the same way or as much, but I do feel differently about him than I do Harry." He looked defeated and she was mysteriously afraid that he thought she meant she was waiting for Ron to come back, thereby making her unavailable.

"I see. Well, I think I'm going to go to bed. It's been a long day."

"Yeah, me too." They got up off the couch and headed towards their separate stairs leading to the dormitories.

"Draco, one more thing."

"Hmm?"

"I just thought you should know that Ron told me I shouldn't wait for him. Goodnight." Without looking back she turned and went up the stairs. Nevertheless, she knew he smiled.


	4. Chapter 4: The Puzzle

Author's Note: Hey there, everyone! Sorry I took a little longer than normal to write again, but I had a busy weekend going to TWO Milwaukee Brewers' games! Go BREW CREW!! Enjoy this next chapter and REVIEW, PLEASE PEOPLE!!

**Chapter Four**

**The Puzzle**

It had been a couple of weeks since their chat in the common room, and Malfoy and Hermione didn't show anyone their friendship except each other. Hermione hadn't even brought herself to tell Ginny. She wasn't quite sure why that was, aside from the fact that she was friends with someone who used to be simply horrible to her. Hermione knew Ginny wouldn't judge her, because that's just how Ginny was.

Hermione and Draco had Potions together every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, but they sat on their separate sides of the classroom as always. The only difference was that he didn't sneer at her when she answered a question, and she didn't laugh when he couldn't answer one. A couple of times, they passed in the corridor and she could have sworn they made friendly eye contact, but neither of them allowed it to be obvious. She was a Gryffindor, and he was a Slytherin. As far as anyone knew, a Gryffindor never dated a Slytherin, or befriended them for that matter.

They never let a word about their night-time reading company escape their lips. Things changed slightly one day in Potions. Hermione was sitting next to Neville. Being table partners with Hermione had helped Neville's grade tremendously in the last fortnight or so. However, nobody was perfect, and when he had gone to the cupboard to fetch some supplies, Hermione scooted over to try to make it a little better without him noticing. That was when Crabbe and Goyle walked by. They peered down at her cauldron and saw the less-than-perfect concoction Neville had brewed.

"Hey, look what Granger did. She actually messed up!"

The whole class turned their heads towards her and Hermione stood up, not wanting to rat out Neville, either, who had noticed that she was standing next to his cauldron instead of her own. "Hey," Goyle said a little quieter, "what's the matter, anyway? Does poor little Mudblood miss that blood-traitor rat, Weasley too much to concentrate on her potion?" Where was Slughorn when you needed him? She silently wondered why he always had to leave the room at the most inopportune moments. Draco was looking over, now, though. At the precise moment that their eyes met, Crabbe grabbed her face and turned it towards him.

"Hey, Goyle was talking to you. Are you too good to answer him?"

Within a second of his huge, ugly hand touching her face, Draco was up and across the room, leaping on top of Crabbe. With one swift punch, Crabbe's nose was bleeding and his eye had begun to turn purple.

Goyle bent down to help his friend, ignoring Malfoy completely, who turned to Hermione. Hardly noticing that the whole classes' eyes were upon them now and that there was muttering on all sides of them, he reached up and grazed her face with his fingers, and she closed her eyes to his touch. "Are you okay? He's such a bastard."

Hermione smiled, "I'm fine. Thanks for…er…that." She indicated Crabbe lying on the floor with her eyes.

Malfoy looked over where his ex-friend was laying and all he could say turning back was, "That's two rotten friends down, only a couple more to go."

Then Hermione did something she had never done before, and she hugged Malfoy gratefully. He put one hand on the back of her head, the other gripping the small of her back. He grinned whispered in her ear, "That was Longbottom's potion, wasn't it? You were trying to fix it."

"Yes," she mumbled into his chest.

Interrupting everyone's entertainment, and surely the source of the Great Hall's gossip that night, the bell rang, and the class got up to leave. Together, but not touching each other, Draco and Hermione walked to the Great Hall for dinner, an awestruck Neville following close behind.

They walked through the giant front doors, and Draco simply touched Hermione on the back as they split to go to their separate tables. Somehow, such a simple gesture seemed to hush the whole school. Hermione quickly strode to the Gryffindor table and slid into her seat next to Ginny. Ginny gave her the look demanding an explanation, her eyebrows raised, and her eyes full of knowledge. Ginny was sure not to leave out the smirk.

"Okay, I know what you're thinking, and I swear it's not like that." Seeing her friend's look, Hermione knew she had some explaining to do.

"Oh, I'm not judging you at all, and you know that I wouldn't react the same way as Ron and Harry anyway."

"So if you're not judging me what was that glare for?" Hermione asked, confused. She was sure Ginny would disapprove of the friendship.

"I just want my best friend to tell me what's going on, is all. What is going on with the two of you anyway?" At times like these, it especially seemed that Ginny couldn't keep her voice down. Hermione received glares from Seamus, Dean, and Lavender, who still seemed to blame Hermione for Ron's breaking up with her last year.

"Could we possibly talk about this later, _Ginevra_?" Hermione put a bit of bite on her friend's name.

"Yeah, sure, fine…" her voice died away as she shoveled food down her throat rather hastily. Hermione smirked a little, knowing full well that Ginny was going to eat as quickly as possible. She figured poor Ginny was desperate for something else to think about other than how much she wished Harry were here, and Hermione couldn't blame her.

Half an hour later, the two girls were sitting underneath the beech tree by the lake. The weather was starting to get a little chilly, but it was still pleasant with a sweater.

"Well?" Ginny prodded, impatiently. "What's the story? Malfoy's being nice to you?"

"Yes, actually. He's apologized for all of the horrible things he's done to us in the past. He said what gave him the courage was Harry and Ron not being here."

"What? That's it?"

"Well, we do share a common room now, and we have time to talk. I'm not going to shut myself up in my bedroom in all my spare time. I do homework by the fire, and so does Draco."

"I guess that makes sense, it just seems so sudden, you know?" Ginny seemed like she wasn't sure if she really wanted to believe any of it.

Hermione touched her friend's hand. "Ginny, I'm not going to turn like him. If anything, he's nicer. I'm sure you heard about what happened in Potions, today? I'll bet it's all over the school by now."

"It may be all over the school after what happened in the Great Hall, but weren't you just arriving at dinner from Potions?"

"Yeah, I suppose I was…" Hermione thought for a moment and pondered how the girl best known for gossip in her year hadn't heard about something so huge as a Slytherin standing up for a Gryffindor.

"Well…what happened?" Ginny asked urgently.

"To make a long story short, Crabbe and Goyle were being giant prats, no pun intended. Goyle made fun of me, Crabbe gripped my chin, and Draco came to my rescue." She paused, trying to decide whether or not to include the last part. Deciding she wanted Ginny's opinion on the matter, she said, "Then, he hugged me, and it was the most passionate embrace I've ever been given in my life."

"_Draco?_ You're calling him _Draco?_" Ginny asked in disbelief. "And, um, I'm sorry, but he HUGGED YOU IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE CLASS?"

"Yes, that's his name, isn't it? I associated Malfoy with evil, and he's really not. And yes, he hugged me in front of the entire class. It was like he didn't care what anyone thought anymore. And you know something? I don't either."

"So you've become friends, then? Like, you're actually having conversations with him? Civil conversations?"

"Yes, actually, he's rather pleasant to talk to when he's not calling you names. I really think he's changed, Ginny, I'm just not sure of the real reason why quite yet."

"Well, Hermione," Ginny looked at her seriously, "if it's what you want, and you truly trust him, I think you shouldn't be ashamed to say that you're friends with him."

"There's more to it than that…"

"What more? There's bigger news than Muggle-born Hermione Granger and pure-blood Draco Malfoy befriending one another and hugging in the Potions dungeon?"

"You see, when he was apologizing to me and everything, he told me he's in love with me, and has been for a long time, but there was Harry and Ron, and he said something once about being worried about his father. I'm not quite sure what that means, but I'm going to try to find out."

Ginny just stared at her for a moment. "Ginny, please say something," Hermione pleaded. "I don't know what to do."

"Do you like him back?" She still looked awestruck.

"Well, I can't stop thinking about him, and he is rather handsome if you see the kind side in him…"

"Well, personally, I've always thought he was hot…I don't know why you can't hate someone and still think they're gorgeous." Ginny grinned a little, but she was serious. Seeing this, Hermione smiled too, and out of nowhere, they broke out in laughter. During their fit, neither of the girls noticed a figure coming down the lawn towards them in the dusk.

"Hello, ladies. Something funny?"

Hermione and Ginny looked up to see Draco Malfoy's slim figure towering over them.

"Hey, Draco…" Hermione managed before they started laughing again.

Malfoy sat down next to them, crossing his legs and putting his hands behind his back. "Well, that's quite an entrance I get."

Finally, they stopped laughing and Hermione spoke to him. "Sorry, but we were just talking about you."

"You find me funny then?"

"It's not so much that. It's a girl thing. We start talking, and something just comes out funny, and we can't stop laughing…" Ginny drifted off as Malfoy gave them both curious looks. "Okay, moving on then…"

"Listen, Ginny, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, or should I say what my father has done to you. I really haven't had much to do with you in the past, and I know there's no way anyone could ever expect complete forgiveness after doing to a person what my father did to you five years ago. It's just, I was kind of hoping that since Hermione and I have gotten a little closer, as I'm sure you know now seeing as you were talking about me laughing instead of scowling, I'd like to be friends with you, too."

Ginny looked from Draco to Hermione, as if expecting an answer on what to do. Hermione shrugged, leaving Ginny to make the decision on her own. "Well, I suppose I could be civil. One apology won't do it completely. My brothers would have my neck. In order for me to completely forgive you, I have to have a solid reason. Let's just see if you can prove yourself to me. Sound fair?"

"That sounds more than fair when I was expecting a slap in the face." They all laughed a little at that nice break in tension.

"Well, I'm going to head back to the common room. Are you two coming back to the castle?" Ginny got up to leave, wiping the dirt off of her rear.

"I am," said Hermione. "I've got some reading to do. I'll see you back in the common room, Draco?"

"Yeah, I'll be a long in a few minutes. I'm just gonna sit out here for a bit." Hermione put her hand on Ginny's back, indicating that she could start heading up the hill towards the school and the two girls walked away.

Malfoy turned back toward the lake, wondering how he could have lived the Dark life for so long. He wondered how he could have let his father push him around for so long and how he could have missed out on a life like the one the Gryffindors led. Ever since he had stopped being friends with Crabbe and Goyle and had become friends with Hermione, it was like a boulder had been rolled off of his shoulders that had been there since the day he was born. It was too bad the trouble wasn't over. His father had yet to hear about his friendship with a Muggle-born. He wouldn't be happy. If it weren't for his mother, he would never go home again.

Later that night, Malfoy walked back into the common room and found Hermione asleep on the couch. The fire was dying and her book was open on her chest. After spending a moment just looking at her, he walked over to the couch and picked up the book, quietly closing it shut. Remembering that he would be able to get up to her dormitory if she was with him and asleep (the magic around the girls' dormitories throughout the school was sensitive to boys coming up unless they were guiding the girl back up with the intention of leaving directly afterwards) he picked her up, his left arm under her neck, and his right arm under her knees. She was lighter than he thought. He walked towards the maroon and yellow side of the room towards the stairs. He carried her all the way up, and placed her gently on the bed, pulling her covers up over her. She looked like an angel, completely sound asleep. Without thinking, he bent down and kissed her forehead. He thought that maybe, on some level, she felt it. Slowly, he turned around to leave and shut the door behind him.

Hermione awoke with a start. She had just had a nightmare that Malfoy was pleading with someone, she couldn't see who. He was begging the mystery person not to hurt him. Where was he? She couldn't tell. He was saying, "Please, I can't do this anymore. Why do you do this to me? I love her! Why can't you accept that?"

Hermione was sweating, shaking uncontrollably. He was talking about her, she knew it, and could feel it deep in her gut. All she could think about now was whether or not he was okay, remembering that Harry's dreams used to be real. She knew that Harry's dreams were only real because of his scar and his connection to Voldemort, but she couldn't help but be frightened that something bad was going to happen to Draco.

She got out of bed and slipped on her slippers. Throwing her robe over her, she flew out the door and down the stairs. Not surprised that Draco wasn't in the common room, she ran across the room and darted up his dormitory stairs. Once she was at the top, she stopped, opened the door slowly, and tip-toed inside. She thanked God when she saw him lying peacefully in his bed. Ginny was right. He was gorgeous, especially, she noticed, when he was shirtless. As she moved closer she noticed that he was bruised and cut in some places. He still looked amazing to her, though. Hermione couldn't help but wonder if that's what he was looking at in the mirror when he exploded at her. She knew that's what he meant when he said he was afraid of his father, but just now, she wanted to sleep.

She walked over to his bed. Unable to help herself, she climbed in next to him, but stayed on top of the covers. Not even thinking that it might be awkward, she curled up right next to him and put her arm around him. Now she would be able to sleep. For some reason that only God knew, she felt safe in his arms.

At some point close to dawn, Malfoy woke and was more than surprised to find Hermione snuggled up next to him, and her skin was freezing. Not wanting to wake her, he pulled the covers over her, wrapped his arms around her, and went back to sleep. It was comfortable for the both of them, and for the time being, nothing else mattered. No one else's opinion mattered, the morning didn't matter, and the last six years didn't matter. Being next to each other felt so strangely fitting. It was like they were each a separate half of a puzzle, and all that was missing was that one piece. Then, one day, you find that pesky piece under the couch cushion while you were looking for the quill you dropped. Then, it took about two seconds for everything to finally fit together. The puzzle was finished, and it was beautiful. All that was left was to frame it, and after all the trouble, the part that seemed so simple would be the hardest.


	5. Chapter 5: Must Go Back, Can't Let Go

Author's Note: Thanks for the REVIEWS on the last chapter guys, get ready for some interesting stuff, now! REVIEW!! Sorry this chapter's kind of short, but it's good and there's another one coming tonight too! 

**Chapter Five**

**Must Go Back, Can't Let Go**

The next day, Draco woke first and just lay on his side, resting his cheek on his hand. Hermione looked so peaceful when she slept. He thought that there was no way anyone was as beautiful as her. He wondered about what made his mother fall in love with such a horrible man as Lucius Malfoy. It was becoming impossible lately to think of that man as his father. If it weren't for Lucius' threats, he would have been with Hermione a long time ago. From an extremely young age, Draco was brought up believing that the only wizards worthy of a place in the Wizarding world were pure-bloods. He was taught that Muggle-borns were dirty and if he touched one, he would somehow become infected with whatever "disease" they had. It was only okay to touch one if you were aiming to hurt them, was what it all boiled down to. Draco hated Lucius for drilling those thoughts into his brain. He teared up as he considered the fact that Hermione could have been his years ago if he hadn't been forced by his father's stupid ideas and beliefs to deny his feelings, even to himself. He now determined that being forced to shut down those feelings was, in the long run, what made him act so mean to her, and Harry and Ron as well.

He felt Hermione stir next to him. She opened her eyes and immediately appeared startled. "Good morning, sleepy head." He smiled at her.

Hermione had completely forgotten that she had snuck into Malfoy's room the night before. She was slightly embarrassed as she realized where she was. He smiled, telling her that not only was he not angry at her, but he was actually pleased that she was there. She sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes. She was suddenly aware that her hair was probably all over the place and she was sure that she needed a shower. "Good morning," she replied. "I'm so embarrassed right now," she confessed. "You must be angry that I just snuck in here last night, and didn't even wake you. You just looked so peaceful."

"Actually," he smirked, "I rather enjoyed it. I never knew you were so into cuddling."

Hermione's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. "I—er…"

"I told you, it's all right. It was nice." He touched her face softly.

She smiled with relief. "Okay." She wanted so badly to ask him about the bruises, but she wasn't sure if she could pluck up the courage. Then again, things seemed to be going so well with him so lately that she decided to give it a go. "Draco, I need to ask you about something."

"Go ahead, ask." He had a feeling that she had noticed his scars last night. He knew he would lash out, but for some reason, unknown even to him, he let her ask.

"Um, well, last night when I came in, I noticed that you had some bruises on your chest and I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You know, if you need to talk, I'm here."

"It's nothing, I'm fine." Malfoy walked away and stood in front of the vanity, looking into his own sad face, holding himself up with his arms.

Hermione didn't believe him. Something was wrong, and she felt bold, deciding to tell him just that. "I don't believe you." She stopped and looked into his eyes, feeling that familiar sting behind her eyes. She wanted to reach out and hold him, but resisted with much effort. "What's wrong, Draco? I've told you once, and I'll tell you again that you can trust me!" She walked over to him and put her hands on his back. He winced, but settled into her touch for just a moment before turning around and settling his blue eyes fiercely on her brown ones. It was like he couldn't handle to have her touch him, like one of them would get burned if they got too close, even after spending the whole night together.

"Look," he said through gritted teeth, "I've told you that I'm fine. Please stop butting into my business."

Hermione backed off a little. "I'm sorry. I—I just thought we were becoming friends." She backed slowly toward the dormitory door. The pressure behind her eyes was releasing and there were shiny tears bubbling over her lower lids. She backed slowly toward the dormitory door. There were shiny tears bubbling over her lower lids. She reached the door and grabbed the doorknob behind her back as she said, "I'm still here if you change your mind." He stared after her when she closed the door behind her, and she was gone. What had he done? He was such a blithering idiot. No one had ever been there for him the way she was trying to be. No one had ever cared enough to ask, and he turned her away.

It had been almost three days, and Malfoy was avoiding Hermione at all costs. She told herself that she wasn't doing the same to him, that she was just giving him space. She still thought about him all the time. She was still more worried than she cared to admit to herself, but he wouldn't let her in. He wouldn't tell her his biggest, most painful secret.

Hermione overslept on Thursday for the first time in her Hogwarts career. All she could think about as she was falling asleep was how much she missed Draco's company and how much she wanted to help him. She was sprinting down the corridor towards Transfiguration when she heard voices coming from a small branch of a hallway near her. McGonagall would be furious that she was late, and it was unlike Hermione to miss even part of a class, but this was much more important. Hermione had no idea what Snape and Malfoy could be yelling about, and she had to find out.

Hermione quickly hid behind the nearest suit of armor and listened to what they were saying. She had to be careful not to make any noise.

"I know what's going on, Draco. Your mother came to me with worry a few days ago. She says you're afraid to go back." Snape's voice seemed kind and worried for the first time in the six years she had known him.

"Of course I don't want to go back there. Who would? I don't know what else I can do. If I don't face him I could potentially be putting more important lives in danger than my own. It's just too hard, and she doesn't understand what it would cost to stop, no matter how much I want to. I would give anything to be able to stop."

Snape looked at Draco, suddenly aware of something he couldn't believe he had missed. "Anything?"

"Okay, not _anything_. I would give up anything besides the one thing I'm trying to protect by continuing with this huge mistake."

Snape knew exactly what he meant by that. "Your mum also told me something else you mentioned to her."

"What, pray tell, might that be?"

"Narcissa told me that you've not only befriended, but have fallen in love with Hermione Granger. She was glad that you were able to tell her that, that you could trust her."

Malfoy turned away from the Headmaster without saying a word. "Draco," at his name he turned his head to the side just enough to see Snape out of the corner of his eye. "If you truly love Miss Granger, there are two things you must do." Snape knew he couldn't let Draco make the same mistake that he had when he was in school.

"Why should I take your word on the subject?" Hermione noticed that Draco never denied loving her.

"Just trust me. Please, if you want to protect her…"

"Fine, then." He turned around to face him directly, fire burning in his eyes. "What do I have to do to protect her?" Without Draco having to say it, Hermione knew that he _would_ do anything to protect her. He was desperate to try anything that anyone suggested…even Severus Snape.

"The first thing you have to do is face your problems. You need to keep her out of their reach, especially if they find out what you're hiding."

Draco thought about this for a moment. He seemed extremely hesitant, like there was nothing in the world that he didn't want to do more than going back to wherever it was he didn't want to go. "Fine, I'll go, but do I still have to do what they say?"

"For now, yes. Just keep me posted on what they make you do, and if it gets worse we'll figure something out. The punishment for not following orders could be much worse."

Malfoy sighed. Hermione knew that he was hurting, and he was only going back for her. The only question she had was what it was he was hiding her from. "What's the second thing I have to do?" he asked Snape.

"If you really want her, and you love her, don't let her go." Hermione couldn't believe that these words were coming out of Severus Snape's mouth. These sentimental words were coming out of the mouth that usually spat words of disgust at students who didn't make their Potions right. It was the same mouth that insulted Harry's father to Harry's face every chance he got. Now, he was different. Something had come over him. Draco appeared to be thinking the same thing. This wasn't normal. Snape went on, "Don't let someone else get there first, and don't make a huge mistake that she'll never forgive you for." Hermione understood at that moment that Snape was speaking from experience.

She heard all she needed to hear for now. She figured they must have been talking about Lucius and the Death Eaters, possibly even Voldemort, but that was still only half an answer. She still didn't know the mystery of the bruises, and she could only guess who it was that did it. What was Draco doing for them, and why did she need to be protected?

She walked towards Transfiguration lost in thought. Never before had anyone put their life on the line for her. On the way to dinner she would go to Snape. That was the only plan she could come up with. She would ask him what was going on. He could yell at her and be a complete ass, or he could have the same attitude that he had while advising Draco on what to do. He could surprise everyone and tell her what was going on.


	6. Chapter 6: Lost Love

Author's Note: Hello!!!!! Thanks for keeping up and, as always, thanks for the reviews!! It's going to get a little more intense, and those of you waiting for why this story is rated M…I'm guessing that will be around chapter seven!! So, keep REVIEWing!! Have a magical day!

**Chapter Six**

**Lost Love**

Hermione went through the motions of he classes that day. She ate lunch with Ginny, then went to History of Magic where Professor Binns' droning on allowed her to become lost in her thoughts.

She had figured out so much as Draco didn't want to go back somewhere where he was being forced to do things against his will, but what? What did Hermione need to be protected from? What could they possibly make him do? She considered the possibility that he was being told to kill people, but that didn't seem likely for some reason. Hermione had a feeling in her gut that killing people wasn't what he was being told to do.

The class let out after what felt like days. Hermione's cheek was numb where it was resting against her palm. On the way to Snape's office, Hermione nearly walked into so many people pushing their way towards the Great Hall for dinner. She barely heard Ginny calling her name. _"Hermione!"_ Ginny was dodging first years artfully in an attempt to catch up. Hermione slowed a little, making it easier for Ginny to reach her.

"Where are you going, Hermione? The Great Hall is the other way," Ginny said, huffing because she was out of breath.

"Snape's office. Head Girl business," seemed like a likely enough excuse to pay the Headmaster a visit. It was the only answer that would prevent further questions.

"Okay, well, will I see you at dinner when you're through meeting with Snape?" Ginny asked hopefully. Hermione felt awful for her, but this was too important. Ginny looked as though she couldn't bear the thought of spending an entire meal without Hermione sitting next to her. She still cried every day.

"Yeah, sure, of course. I'll meet you down there in about a half hour okay?" Hermione sympathetically touched Ginny's shoulder before turning away and walking off. She never looked back as Ginny stared blankly at her, then doubling back into the crowd of students.

Hermione reached the stone gargoyle in front of the Headmaster's office. "Password?"

"Lacewing flies." Leave it to a Potions master to have that as the password. All of the Prefects, plus Malfoy and Hermione were supplied with the password incase of an emergency. As far as Hermione was concerned, her reason classified as just that.

Hermione was really dreading going into Snape's office. Ever since he killed Dumbledore, she wanted nothing more than to punch his face in. Seeing as he was her only hope, she knocked on the door. "Enter."

She opened the door, and found Snape turned around talking to Dumbledore's portrait. She scowled, disapproving of Dumbledore's forgiveness. Both men looked serious when they saw who walked through the door. "Ah, Miss Granger. You're well, I presume?" Dumbledore greeted her with his usual cheeriness.

Hermione really hated to see Dumbledore being so kind to his killer. She couldn't stand anymore, and her mouth moved ahead of her brain. She wasn't able to stop herself. "Yes, thanks, Professor. But, if you don't mind my asking, how can you just let the man who killed you take everything you worked so hard for?" She was referring to the fact that Snape got the Headmaster office, and he got the position of Headmaster by murdering the previous one. Hermione wanted to know exactly how that was fair.

Dumbledore looked at Snape, now. "Perhaps we should fill her in on the things Draco knows. I'm convinced it would aide in her safety in the long run."

"Very well," Snape agreed reluctantly. "Have a seat, Miss Granger."

Simultaneously, Snape and Hermione sat down in chairs on either side of the desk. "Tell me, Professor Dumbledore, what do I need to know? What's so important?"

Snape closed his eyes and folded his hands as the bearded man in the portrait behind him spoke. "Well, Miss Granger, the first thing you need to know, is that I asked Severus to kill me. I knew Draco wouldn't be able to like You-Know-Who told him to, nor did I want his soul to be damaged by committing murder. I believed he still had a chance to save himself." He looked at Hermione closely then said, "And I see that even more now, because of you."

"But…" Hermione tried to interrupt without success.

"Please, Hermione, just listen. There will be time for questions later." Hermione closed her open mouth and nodded. "As I was saying, I knew I didn't have long to live anyway. When I destroyed the ring Horcrux, I couldn't resist trying it on, and this was a horrible mistake because it released a deadly curse into my body."

"And Harry…is he in danger of that kind of thing now?"

"Harry is stronger than I was, Hermione. I don't believe that he will be tempted the way I was. There is, or course, danger in hunting these Horcruxes. However, Harry knows that, and if I didn't think he could handle it, I wouldn't have entrusted the task to him."

"Yes, of course." Hermione didn't know what to say. She knew Harry and Ron were on a dangerous mission, but it was as if the thought had just occurred to her that they might not come back. She figured Ginny had already realized that, and that's partially what causes her such misery, knowing she can't be there with him, and that she has no clue where in the world he is.

Now she just stared at the former Headmaster sitting peacefully in his portrait. Snape didn't seem phased by the fact that Hermione knew about the Horcruxes already. If anything, she was surprised that he knew about them. She correctly assumed that he was a double agent who was really on the side of Dumbledore and the Order.

Dumbledore continued, "So, Miss Granger, now that everyone in this room trusts each other, I believe you came to speak to Professor Snape about something. If I'm not mistaken, that discussion is related to the one we've just finished?"

"I think so, Professor." She turned her gaze to Snape. She confessed to him everything about how she listened in on his conversation with Draco, and that she was really worried about what was going on. She was worried about what was happening to Malfoy. She said that she didn't want it to be her fault if he was in trouble.

"You heard _everything_ that was exchanged between Draco and I?" Snape asked warily.

"I left after you told him the two things he had to do to keep me safe if he really loved me. What kind of danger am I in, exactly, Professor?"

Snape sat for a moment, apparently wondering how much to say and how to say it. "I think it's best that you are aware of the kind of danger you are in. Not only that, but the danger you are already in would be increased for both you and Draco if you became closer. His situation would become increasingly more uncomfortable for him as well. Don't misunderstand, however. I'm not saying you shouldn't be closer with him. As I told him, if the two of you are indeed falling in love, you shouldn't put that aside for anything. You just need to work together to solve the problem, and don't back down on him, ever."

"He's doing something for Vol—I mean You-Know-Who—then?" Hermione couldn't help but feel just a little angry at Malfoy when she thought about how stupid it was to become involved with the Death Eaters.

Snape realized this because he said, "The thing you must understand, Miss Granger, is that Draco doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. You heard him say that he doesn't want to go back there. He hates being involved with those bastards." Dumbledore tensed at Snape's choice of words in front of a student, but appeared to let it slide under the circumstances.

For a brief second, Hermione thought about how awkward of a conversation this was to be having with a man whom she considered to be lacking a heart or feelings. It was a side of Snape she had never seen before, and she wondered why. He actually seemed like a pretty nice guy. Where had that side of him been hiding? In bitterness about where his life went wrong somewhere along the way?

"I know," she took a deep breath and let it out. "I want to talk to him, but he's been avoiding me."

Dumbledore spoke now. "I think it wise that you talk to Mr. Malfoy directly about this."

Hermione bit her lip, thinking this over. "Professor, why do you think he's been avoiding me, especially if he's as in love with me as he says he is?"

Dumbledore, as always, had an answer for this. It was as if he knew she would ask. "Hermione," he used her first name, which was a rarity for a Hogwarts teacher, past or present. "I'd be willing to wager a great deal that he's been skirting your presence for a couple of reasons. First, he wants to distance himself from you because he thinks it will keep you safe. Second, it's extremely likely that he's exceedingly ashamed of what he's done, and it hurts to look at you. However, it would be best for both of you if you hear it from him rather that one of us."

"Why would seeing me make him more ashamed?"

"I think you'll get your answer to that quite easily if he's able to confide his problems in you, Hermione."

"I understand. If there's nothing else, I think I'll try and find him." Hermione got up to leave.

"Just remember that he needs you to stay on his side. You won't like what you hear." Those were the only words Dumbledore had.

Snape, however, had more to say. "Please, Miss Granger, if you'll sit back down, there's something I'd like to add." Hermione sat curiously. "I'd like to tell you something that few people ever knew about me, but I feel it relates directly to the situation."

He took a deep breath, the way someone does when they're trying not to cry.

"What is it, Professor?" Hermione didn't mean to sound urgent, but she couldn't wait to hear what could cause Severus Snape to cry. It sounded mean, but it was too true to deny.

Snape decided there was no use delaying the inevitable, so he dove right into the story. "The summer before I started at Hogwarts I made friends with Lily Evans." Hermione knew that Evans was Harry's mom's maiden name. "Her sister Petunia loathed the ground I walked on, but Lily didn't care. She was a Muggle-born, just like yourself, and the whole idea of the Wizarding world was new to her."

Hermione knew from Harry's stories of Privet Drive that it was classic Aunt Petunia behavior to hate someone who was different from you.

"So, I befriended her, and told her everything she needed to know. The real reason Petunia hated me so, was because she wrote to Professor Dumbledore asking to be let into the school, and her request was denied."

Hermione stifled a laugh and couldn't wait to tell Harry this tidbit of information, silently praying that she got the chance. Dumbledore spoke again, "Yes, that was a very heartfelt letter from a Muggle girl who didn't want her sister to leave. That's actually a common problem in Muggle-borns…jealous siblings." Hermione laughed aloud this time, realizing for the first time that she was grateful to be an only child.

Snape continued with his story. "So, when we got to Hogwarts and Lily and I were split up into different houses--she in Gryffindor, me in Slytherin—we tried our best to remain friends, and it worked, for a while. One day, I just lost my mind and got really angry. That was when I made the biggest mistake of my life. I called her the most horrible name." He hung his head in shame and spite at the memory.

"Mudblood?"

"Yes, that. Anyway, she never forgave me. I just thought you should know that if you're both careful not to get caught up in what other people think, you should be just fine having a boyfriend in Slytherin. You need to be in it for each other. Lily Evans was the love of my life and I lost her because I was a stupid youth."

"Professor? Is that why you dislike Harry so much?"

"Partially, Miss Granger, yes. It hurts to look at him, except his eyes. He has his mother's eyes."

"So I've heard." Hermione smiled a comforting smile at Snape, something she never would have imagined herself doing in a million years.

"I think it's safe to say you're free to go," Dumbledore peered down at her through his moon-shaped glasses resting on his crooked nose.

As soon as Hermione's feet were both outside the office, she took off at a sprint towards the Heads' common room. She had to find Draco immediately. Nothing was more important to her than finding out what was going on. Ginny would understand, she had to.


	7. Chapter 7: Kiss Me Too Fiercely

Author's Note: Hellooooo! I am a carrrrr!!! Sorry, I don't know if you guys know Dane Cook, but his video Car Alarms is so funny haha and it's been stuck in my head. So, anyway, I'm posting these chapters kind of close together, so if you are thinking that this is my latest…make sure you've read Chapter Six!! Sorry if there's any mistakes, or anything that sounds stupid…it was late and I wanted to get it posted…feel free to leave comments about that and I'll be happy to fix little mistakes  And don't forget to REVIEW!!!

Disclaimer: Yes, there's another song quote in the dialogue, but neither of them are singing to each other this time. I just borrowed more (different for those of you who read "A New Dark Lord") words from "As Long as You're Mine" from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz.

**Chapter Seven**

**Kiss Me Too Fiercely**

Hermione hurled herself down the corridor skidding to stop in front of the Surrey Phoenix portrait. "Eleka nahmen." The portrait swung forward to admit her and she climbed inside. "Draco? Are you here? Please don't ignore me, I really want to talk to you!"

She ran around the common room frantically. Deciding he wasn't there, and they could just miss each other if she left to search elsewhere, she plopped down on the couch and closed her eyes. After what felt like hours, she awoke to Draco's voice. "Hey, Granger." She opened her eyes and saw him standing by the fire. "It's late, you should go to bed." Apparently, that was all he had to say, and he turned to go.

"Wait, Draco, please. I want to talk to you."

He turned to face her. "I don't think that's the best idea, Hermione. Please, you don't want to be friends with someone like me. I'm not a good person. You should probably just go back to hating me like you did before."

"How could you say something so utterly ridiculous as that?" Hermione was standing now, beginning to feel quite heated.

Malfoy looked at the floor, and shoved both hands into separate pockets on his robes. "Hermione, you don't know. You don't know what I've done. It's awful."

"I could never hate you again."

"I'm telling you, Hermione, that it's that bad, what I've done! You would never speak to me again."

"From what I hear, you're being forced to do it. I heard you talking to Snape today, and that's why I have to talk to you about all of this."

The room suddenly seemed to get very quiet. Neither of them spoke. Hermione broke the silence first. "Look, after I heard that conversation, I went and talked to Snape. He told me I should ask you, but promise never to give up on you once I leaned what you've been doing." She went over and took his hands, one in each of hers. "He told me that no matter what, I have to stand by you. I intend to do that. I can't promise that I won't be shocked at first, and I may not be able to speak for a moment, if it's really that bad." She searched his eyes for some sort of sign that he heard her. When he looked back at her she continued. "Eventually, I'll be there for you."

He finally squeezed her hands back. He spoke so softly she could barely hear him. "You know I love you?"

She smiled and tears welled up under her now-closed eyelids. They stayed like that, just holding hands. He gave her a moment to compose herself, and he didn't say a word. He didn't want to force her to say it back, he just needed her to know that he loved her. "You know what?" she asked.

"What?"

"I love you too."

He smiled with relief, then wrapped her in his arms. "I'm not sure if I'm even happy to hear that. You're going to hate me in a few minutes, if I really tell you what's been going on."

"No, I won't hate you. I could NEVER hate you." She pressed her cheek harder into his chest and breathed in his scent. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you these last few days. It's been killing me inside that you haven't been talking to me."

"It's been killing me, too. I just didn't want to hurt you, but I guess we're too far in to prevent that, now, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are. It would hurt me more if you left me than knowing whatever is you've been avoiding telling me."

"Every time I see you and have had to turn away, or pretend I wasn't missing you, it was like some big monster came and ripped up my insides, twisting my intestines in his giant fingers…"

"…then pulling out your heart and stomping on it until nothing was left?" she finished.

"Yes, that's exactly what happened."

"I've been having the same sort of feeling."

He motioned for her to sit over on the couch. He sat first, spreading his legs down the length of the sofa, then pulled her down on top of him, and she curled herself into a little ball with her head on his chest. She felt so safe and small with his arms wrapped around her. The mountain of problems their relationship could cause made the approaching N.E.W.T.s seem like just a grain of sand.

"I'm going to tell you now about what's been going on lately, and I just need you to know that whatever happens, I will always love you, Hermione. I'm so sorry for what I've done, and it's not simple for anyone if I try to stop."

"Draco, please, I can handle it, just tell me. I need to know, and if it's as huge and as dangerous as you're making it out to be, then I think your telling me this would make our bond even stronger."

That actually made sense to him. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. That gesture made her realize something. Here they were, confessing their undying love for each other, and they had never kissed. Before he could open his mouth to finally admit what had been going on, she leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth. He gripped the back or her head right above her neck and pressed her closer, opening his mouth, trying to part her lips with his tongue. He tasted so good to her, it was like peppermint, but it was sweet too. It felt sinfully right to her to be kissing this boy, no, this man.

Finally he pulled away from her. "God, Hermione, you're making this harder."

"I don't mean to, it's just, I love you, and I wanted to kiss you. I mean, who confesses that they love someone before they've ever kissed them? What if one of us was bad?"

"I don't think that would ever be possible." Then, there was that smile again, and she was glad she was already sitting down. That smile made her melt. "Does this mean you're over Ron Weasley? Can you be with me without thinking of him as more than a friend?"

"Yes, I can." She kissed him once, a little more lingering than a peck. "Now, please, tell me your problems."

"Brace yourself."

"Consider me braced." She smiled and wrapped her arms around his stomach and lay back down against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat speeding up, and his chest rise and fell with every deep breath he took.

"Well, it's all because my father let Voldemort down when he broke the Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries. That was why I was supposed to kill Dumbledore last year, too. I'm still grateful that Snape was there to do it for me. I don't think I could have done it. I was all talk, no action."

"That's what Dumbledore's portrait told me, is that he was going to die anyway, so he told Snape to do it for you."

"You talked to Dumbledore, too?"

"Yeah, and they both said I had to hear this from you, so go on."

"Okay, well, it's still going on, since I never 'completed my first task.' They want to train me to be a fucking Death Eater or something. So, they keep making me do horrible things to people…to Muggle-borns."

He stopped and looked at her. He had gotten her attention, and she was sitting up a little more, looking at him.

"You hate me already, don't you? Before you even know what I did?"

"No. I can tell you feel awful, and it's not like you want to do it? And you're not doing it to me? Unless this whole 'in love with me' thing was just a lie?"

"No! Of course it's not! I love you so much, Hermione…um, what's your middle name?"

"Jean," she answered.

He laughed at the absurdity of not knowing her middle name, yet telling her he loved her with all his heart. "Well, I love you so much Hermione Jean Granger. I feel awful about this whole thing, and actually, part of the reason I'm so scared to be with you is because I'm afraid they might make me do it to you."

"Well, maybe if I knew what 'it' is, I could help you stop it?"

"Right, well…" This part was going to be the hardest. "See, they think that pure-bloods should basically rule all. They think that everyone should have all-wizard blood, and that Muggle-borns shouldn't exist. So, they're trying to make more Wizards with full blood. Don't ask how it's going to stop Muggles from accidentally having witches and wizards. It's not like they say, 'Hey, want to have a witch for a daughter?'"

"So, what? They're making you have sex with Muggle-born girls?"

"Essentially, yes." A tear escaped from the corner of his eye, and he shut both of them tight, trying to fight them back.

"Draco…" She wiped the tear away. "I don't know what to say, except…well…I don't hold you responsible for it. If they're making you…" Then she had a sudden epiphany. How could she have forgotten? "That's what the bruises are from, isn't it? You tried to resist, didn't you?"

"Yes. And they said that next time I try to resist, they'll kill me."

"Your own father said that to you? What kind of fucking ass hole would say that to his own son?"

"The kind I have."

"That's horrible."

"I know. They so firmly believe in everything they stand for."

"Let me guess. If they find out about us, they'll make you do it to me?"

"Most likely, and they'll make it worse. I have a feeling that they'll make me do other things besides that."

"What? Like beat me the way they beat you?"

"Either that or they'll do it for me, and I'll get beat too, or worse."

She kissed him again, tenderly, showing that she wasn't mad at him. She needed him to know that not only would she stand by his side during this, but that she would love him forever. She would do whatever it took to protect him from Voldemort. She also knew that if she asked them to, Harry and Ron would help, too.

This wasn't a time to be thinking about her two best friends, though. This moment was about her and Draco. "Draco?"

"Hmm?"

"Take off your shirt." He looked at her quizzically, but when she sat up to allow him room, he obliged. Under the white cotton, there was only skin. It was bruised, scarred skin, but it was beautiful to her. She stuck out her left hand and traced a scar that went all the way from his sternum, and followed his chest diagonally to the side of his right ribcage.

"What's this one from?" She traced it back and forth.

"Sectumsempra." She looked at him for more answers, and he knew what she wanted to know. "Uncle Rodolphus when I wouldn't touch a twelve year-old. After this spell I was too damaged to touch her."

Hermione bent down and kissed it right in the middle. Her right hand found the top of another scar. This one was slightly longer and it went from his left shoulder to the beginning of his right ribcage, almost touching the previous one. "This?"

"Same spell." He seemed more reluctant to tell her about that one, and he pulled her hand away from it.

"What, Draco? Who cast that spell? Was it your father?"

"No. It wasn't my father."

"Who, then?"

"Harry. Last year, when he found me in the bathroom."

"Oh, Draco. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried." She drew her hand back. "I know what you think of Harry, but you have to understand, I love him and Ron. They're my two best friends in the entire world, and I really do miss them both like crazy right now. I have been preoccupied, which is, I guess, good and bad. Ginny, though…I feel like I've betrayed her. I'm all she has, and I've only been worried about you. It's her brother and her boyfriend. God, I'm a horrible friend."

"You're not a horrible friend. Just talk to her tomorrow. It's Saturday, spend the whole day with her. And, I do understand that I can't make you not talk to Harry and Ron. I just hope they don't want to strangle me to death when they hear about us."

"I'll make them understand." She relaxed against him again. She found a bruise this time, then another, then another. She played connect the dots with them absentmindedly while he stroked her back and looked at her. She kissed one. She kissed another, trying to make them disappear and never come back. Who could have done this to her love? Who could be so cruel? It was awful for her to imagine what kind of parent could stand by and let this happen, maybe even help. Her instinct told her that Narcissa was being forced down, too, and that she wasn't able to help her only son. Hermione knew she would if she could, because that's what mothers do.

She kissed him over and over as if it really could take the pain away. "I have an idea," she told him. "If we had already made love, then it wouldn't be so painful if they made you rape me, and it wouldn't really be rape, right? I mean, if we had already been together…ahem…_out_ of their presence?"

He let out a small laugh. "I guess that would be true."

She adjusted herself so she was straddling his hips. She put both hands on his solid chest, feeling her way down to where his belt was situated. She roamed back up, her hands landing on his upper arms, and she kissed him on the lips. He responded passionately, feeling the inside of her mouth with his tongue. He could feel her lips smile and he imagined his tongue on the roof of her mouth must have tickled.

She sat up and reached for her own shirt and pulled it over her head so only her bra was left. She bent back down to kiss him and he brushed her thick brown hair out of her face. God, she was beautiful, and her skin was so damn soft.

His big hands fit nicely around her small waist. "Hermione?"

"What?"

"Are you sure you want to do this? It's not because you want to get the first time out of the way while we're alone?"

"I'm sure that I really want you. I've never been more sure about anything in my whole entire life. I've never been more sure of the answer to a question in class or anything. I want to do this."

She resumed kissing him, then sat up again. She moved backwards and ran her hands down the length of his upper body and she didn't stop until they landed on the top of his pants. She undid his belt buckle and the button of his pants. To his surprise, she bent down and undid the zipper with her teeth. She smiled at him menacingly, then slid her hands under his pants to pull them down. He kicked at them with his feet, and used his toes to remove his socks. It didn't seem fair to him that he was left in his boxers, and she still had a bra, skirt, and underpants.

Malfoy pulled Hermione down to him by the elbows, and pushed his face to hers, and he wasn't only kissing her, but it felt like he was sucking all the breath out of her body. He rolled her over and they had traded places. He was now on top of her. He paused from his bliss, realizing that this was usually how things went. He felt like he was forcing her, now, like it always was when his father and his cronies got to watch.

Seeing the sudden fear in his eyes, she grabbed for his hand and put it gently on her stomach. "It's okay, honey. I love you, I want you to. Kiss me too fiercely, hold me too tight." She had to assure him that he wasn't hurting her. "My wildest dreamings couldn't have foreseen this, but I want it so badly."

He smiled. She had a way of making everything okay. "You've got me seeing through different eyes. Thank you."

"Thank me without words. Come be how you want to and see how bright we shine."

"It sounds like words from a song."

"Maybe it is. I don't care right now. Please, I can't wait anymore."

He put his hands at the bottom of her skirt and pulled it down. He put his hand between her thighs and used his right index finger to pull down her panties, just grazing her with the tip of his finger. She moaned a little. She had never been touched there before, and he wanted to be gentle.

He moved up towards her upper body again and put his hands behind her back to unclasp her bra. He pulled it off and threw it away towards the armchair. He looked at her milky skin. Her breasts were small, but not too small. Her skin was so soft when he kissed the space between her two breasts, his hands cupping their sides. He continued to kiss her all the way down to her belly button, but stopped there, teasing her.

Her hands found the top of his boxers. She was secretly glad he didn't wear briefs; she thought they were for little boys. She knew now that Draco Malfoy was no boy. He was a man, her man. Hermione slid her hands under his boxers and guided them down his hips with her thumbs.

They were both completely bare for the first time in front of each other. "No one's ever seen me before, Draco."

"You're beautiful, stunning." He kissed her sweetly at first, then plunged deeper. He was resting on his hands, not wanting to move too fast, for her sake. It soon became evident that she felt differently. She pulled him down to her, grabbing his hips and pulling him down on top of her. She could feel him growing next to her. She ran her fingers through his blonde hair.

"I love you, Draco."

"I love you too, Hermione."

"Are you ready?" He knew that they both just needed each other, and there would be plenty of time for foreplay next time, and they both knew there would be one.

"Yes, I'm so ready." Her breath was hot against his cheek, and she arched her back, spreading her legs to let him settle his thighs between hers. Both her hands were still through his hair. He was hoisting himself up on his hands as he slid inside her. She pulled him closer.

"I need to feel your skin next to me right now," she whispered. He understood completely. This time would be slow and gentle. It had to be, for both their sakes. For Draco, it felt like his first time, too, because it was the first time he wanted to, and the first time he loved the woman he was inside. She moaned.

"What is it? Are you okay?"

"I'm better than okay. Keep going." He looked down and she was bleeding, but it must have been okay. He knew that would happen. He kissed her neck and rested his forehead on her shoulder while he moved a little deeper. He put his hand on her hip and he guided her, wanting her to move with him. Every now and then, she let out little gasps. After just a few minutes she said, "Draco, I think it's happening."

"Me too, love. Ready?"

"Yes." Together they came in a release of ecstasy. She tilted her head back and he smiled. He had never come before, and neither had the girl. He gave her this pleasure, and nothing had ever made him happier.

"Ahhh," she bit her lip back to prevent further noise.

They collapsed next to each other and he pulled the blanket down on top of both of them. He rolled under her and she cuddled up against him.

"You're still okay, right? I didn't hurt you?"

"Never. And never let me go."

"I won't if you won't. I think I'm going to need you by my side really soon."

"I would do anything for you, Draco Malfoy. Anything…" and she drifted off to sleep. He kissed the top of her head and followed suit.


	8. Chapter 8: There May Be a Way

Author's Note: Hey there! I hope you all enjoyed that last chapter…there might be more? Don't worry…I'll be getting back into more of Ginny, Harry, and Ron now that the D/Hr relationship is truly introduced (but D/Hr will still be the main point!)!! Keep reading and REVIEW please!

**Chapter Eight**

**There May Be a Way**

Hermione and Draco woke on Saturday morning still curled up on the couch. The fire had died, but it was still cozy next to each other. "Pssst." Hermione woke first and as much as she loved seeing Draco sleep, she wanted him to be awake, too. "Draco, wake up." She shook him gently on the shoulder.

"Mmmmm…" he moaned. She laughed, causing him to open his eyes. "Well, hello there." They both grinned and she fell back on top of him and kissed him sweetly. She pulled back and gazed into his eyes.

"Sleep well?"

"Extremely."

They kissed again and he pulled her even closer so she almost couldn't breathe. "You know something?" he asked her.

"Yes, I know something, but probably not what you were going to tell me."

He stuck his tongue out at her. "Har de har har. You're sooo witty my dear. No, seriously."

She giggled. "What is it dahling?" She said "darling" like one of those sleek women in the old mystery movies. She and her parents used to watch them all the time. Hermione promised herself from an early age that she would never be the damsel in distress. She wanted to be on the detective end, and that's exactly what she had done for the past six years, and would probably continue to do.

"Last night meant the world to me," he said in to her ear, kissing it afterwards. She lay back down on his chest. "How did I ever survive without you? How was I so god damned stupid? Harry was right, you know."

"Oooh, Draco Malfoy saying Harry Potter was right about something?" She was curious now. "What was he right about?"

"Well, it wasn't that he was right about something specifically, I just should have followed the advice I gave him. On our very first day here at Hogwarts I offered to make friends with him, and told him not to go making friends with the wrong sort."

"What did he do?"

"He said, 'I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks.' I should have seen the wrong sort in the Slytherins the way he did."

"Do you want my opinion?"

"Usually. In this case, yes."

"Oh, now who's the funny one?" she poked fun at him. "Well, I think that you shouldn't blame yourself for what you did when you were eleven. You were still a daddy's boy back then. The point is, that now you've learned to think for yourself. I also think that if you told Harry and Ron what you've just told me, they would be quicker to forgive you."

Sure, it was easy for her to say all of this to someone else, but when it came down to telling her best friends about her relationship with Malfoy, it didn't seem like something she was really looking forward to doing.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if that's all it took?"

"Hmmm," she agreed. She rubbed her thumb on his shoulder back and forth, while he did the same one her back.

It was amazing being this close to someone, knowing they loved you so much that they would do anything in the whole world for you. Draco would never admit it to anyone but her, but she made him feel safe, too. It had always felt like he was alone in the world. Sure, he had Crabbe and Goyle, but they weren't real friends. They were just groupies. He never had a real father figure the same way most kids have. Now, someone loved him. And Hermione wasn't just anyone, she was a Muggle-born, and it felt amazingly rebellious that he loved her. He would never use her that way, but it still felt good to know it would make his father cringe. It felt good to be able to disappoint him, and have someone there to back him up when it backfired.

Hermione still figured that the worst of her problems was what Harry and Ron say. It didn't matter to her what the rest of the school though as long as she had them behind her, and that's the way it had always been. It was then that she remembered Ginny.

"Oh no!" She stood up from the couch pulling the blanket with her leaving Malfoy naked on the couch. He didn't even try to cover up and that made her smile.

"What? What is it?"

"I have to talk to Ginny, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, right. Well, you'd best get going." He stood up, and walked towards her.

Hermione could have melted the way he walked, completely starkers, towards her. She smiled and opened the blanket for him to join her, and they wrapped their arms around each other. He looked down at her and then kissed her. He felt so good against her, but she couldn't let this happen right now. She needed to find Ginny. She pulled away. "I really do have to find her." She was still unable to let go. "Let me go get dressed." He let go and she ran off towards the dormitory stairs.

She came down ten minutes later, looking stunning to him. "You look amazing right now."

"Are you kidding me? I haven't even showered."

"I don't know, you just look illuminated or something."

"Is it that obvious how happy I am?"

"Kind of," he said honestly.

"Good." She walked over and plopped down onto his now-clothed lap. "I want the whole world to know." She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "I really have to go. She's probably at lunch by now. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Meet me here at seven o'clock okay? I have a surprise for you."

"I will." She kissed him quickly and got up.

She was right by the portrait hole when he ran over to her. "Hermione, wait."

"What?"

"I just wanted to tell you I love you."

"I love you too." He gave her one quick kiss, and she dashed out of the portrait hole. Now the only question was, where would she find Ginny?

She decided to check the Gryffindor common room first. She reached the Fat Lady and said, Lemmon Drops. The Gryffindors missed Dumbledore more than any other house, and used their password as a way to remember him. "Precisely," the Fat Lady replied, swinging open for Hermione to enter. "It's been quiet without you and your friends this year." Hermione knew she was referring to her late-night escapades with Harry and Ron and smiled, climbing through the hole, and entering the crimson-filled common room.

She looked around for Ginny Weasley's fiery red hair and spotted her by the window all alone. Poor Ginny, now she really felt awful for ditching her yesterday. "Hermione!" someone called behind her.

"Oh, hello, Seamus, how are you?"

"I'm fine, but, how are you?" he looked at her in a way that made her suspicious.

"I'm wonderful, actually." She smiled and said, "Excuse me, but I have to talk to Ginny."

"Yeah, she was pretty peevish at you yesterday after dinner. What have you done, anyway?"

"No offense, Seamus, but that's really none of your business."

"It has something to do with that git, Malfoy, doesn't it?"

"Do NOT call him that, and like I said, it's none of your business."

"Fine, but just be prepared for worse than this if you're going to be snogging that jerk." Seamus walked away without another word. Hermione didn't care what he thought. She was worried about Ginny, and turned around, thankful that she was still over by the window. She was also secretly thankful that Seamus didn't rouse attention.

She made her way to the window and touched Ginny gently on the shoulder. "Ginny, I'm so incredibly sorry for not coming to dinner yesterday."

Ginny looked up and her then went back to staring out the window. "Yeah, sure. Where were you anyway?"

"I had to go talk to Draco. It was really important. I'll tell you about it later, but for now all I'm going to say is that he's in trouble. I had to find out what was going on."

"Is that why you went to see Snape? There wasn't any Head Girl business was there?"

"Yes, that's why I went to see Snape." Ginny still looked rather defeated, and slightly angry at Hermione. "Listen, Ginny, you're no less important to me, but I had to know. I can spend the whole day with you today, though. How about some lunch?" Ginny agreed, and the whole way down to the Great Hall, Hermione tried to make small talk without much success.

They were finally sitting down at a table and Hermione said, "Ginny, I have to tell you something, and I want you to hear it from me before it gets twisted around the school."

"What?" she still sounded a little mad, and Hermione hoped that this would make her understand why she never showed up for dinner.

"Well, after I talked to Draco last night and he told me everything that's been going on, I…well, I told him I love him too."

"You really do?" Hermione's prediction had been correct. Ginny was intrigued.

"Yes, I really do," and Hermione looked down, smiling, but her eyes were sparkling, and Ginny knew she wasn't lying, and wasn't exaggerating her feelings for the Slytherin. "I would do anything for him. He's really a good person, Ginny. He's badly misunderstood."

"I think you need to tell me what he's been doing."

"If I do you have to promise me that you will not tell ANYONE, Ginevra Molly Weasley. You can't tell a soul, not even Harry, yet. And I really think that when it comes time, I should be the one to tell Harry and Ron."

"FINE. I promise! Now will you tell me, please?" She was getting impatient.

Hermione whispered into Ginny's ear what Draco told her the night before, trying to make Draco sound as innocent as possible. Even though she, Hermione, knew he wasn't to blame, she wasn't sure how Ginny would take the news.

"WHAT?"

"Shhhhh!!! Are you crazy? Be quiet!"

"Sorry, but…I mean…are you serious? What if it happens to you?" she said more quietly.

"Well, it won't really matter." She leaned in closer to Ginny's ear. "We made love last night?"

"WHAT?"

"Ginny, really, keep your voice down."

"Hermione," Ginny started, really being quiet now, even though the Great Hall was rather empty, "you had sex with Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, I've told you, I love him so much."

"Wow, okay. So, my best friend is dating a Slytherin. Cool!"

They both laughed, then Ginny suddenly looked very sad.

"Ginny, what is it?"

"Just, all this talk about love…" she cut off, choking up with tears.

"Harry's okay, and so is Ron. I know they are. If they weren't, we would have heard."

"I guess you're right." Tears welled up in Ginny's sad brown eyes. "I just miss him so much, Hermione. I spend every night trying to think of where he is, praying that he'll contact me somehow, but there's no way to do that."

"There must be a way for us to talk with them, but owls are too traceable."

"I've thought of everything."

"No, Ginny, you haven't quite thought of everything."

Just then, the Great Hall came to a sudden hush. Hermione looked up and saw that Draco had just walked through the door and nearly bumped into Crabbe and Goyle.

"So, Malfoy, where have you been lately?" Goyle asked, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Been hanging out with that little Mudblood, have you?"

Not even bothering with his wand, Malfoy went after Goyle with such force that it didn't matter that he was practically half his size. He was sitting on top of him, beating him with both hands in turn. "Don't," _punch! _"you," _punch! _"ever," _punch!_ "call," _punch! _"her," _punch!_ "that," _punch!_ "AGAIN!" Now the teachers were rushing over. It seemed that it took them an awfully long time to acknowledge the problem. Hermione followed suit.

She reached Draco long before the teachers did, and she tried to grab him off while he was still punching Goyle, and got pushed to the floor. Suddenly realizing what happened, he flew towards her and wrapped her up in his arms. Her nose was bleeding. "Oh, God, Hermione! What have I done?"

"Draco, I'm fine, really." She reached for her wand and pointed it at her own nose and said, "_Episky!"_ Tonks taught her that last year, and this was the first time she had actually had to use it. Within seconds she was good as new.

"Hermione it was an accident, really!"

She reached up for his face settling her palm on his cheek, and sat up on her own to look at him. The teachers walked to Goyle, not rushing, but walking calmly while the rest of the students in the Hall looked at the Slytherin and Gryffindor on the floor embracing each other. It suddenly seemed much fuller now. Ginny was a few feet away, but turned to talk to Luna, who didn't seem to care that Malfoy and Hermione were acting differently than years past.

"Draco, honey, I'm fine, see?" She pointed to her nose. "I'm not bleeding, and," she pointed her wand at her face again, "_Scourgio!_ I'm all clean too." He kissed her, in front of everyone, who gasped.

"Well, I'm still sorry."

"You're still forgiven. And, thank you for defending me, but I'm sure you're in trouble now, especially being a Head Boy."

McGonagall approached them. "Mr. Malfoy."

"Oh, bloody hell." He turned around.

"I'm sorry Professor, but he called her that word."

"You mean the word you used to speak fluently?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Malfoy hung his head in shame, and Hermione grabbed his hand. "Please, Professor, don't punish him for this. Goyle deserved it, really, he had it coming for six years."

"Just see me in my office at five o'clock this evening, both of you."

"Yes, Professor," they chimed. McGonagall walked back toward the staff table without another word.

"I'd better get back to Ginny," Hermione told Draco. "We were kind of interrupted with a very important discussion."

"Okay, love. I'll see you at five, I guess."

"You sure will." She winked and kissed him again, causing the Hall to once again fill with the buzz of gossip. This time he pulled her close and let their kiss linger for a moment. Ginny walked over, and as Hermione and Draco parted and walked away from each other, their hands touched until the last possible second when they couldn't reach anymore.

Once Hermione and Ginny were outside in the entrance hall, Ginny said, "Well, that was dramatic."

"Very," Hermione agreed. "Now, as I was saying, I think there might be a way for you to speak to Harry. Follow me." They broke out at a run, Hermione leading the way towards the Headmaster's office. They reached the stone gargoyle, and Hermione recited, "Lacewing flies," forcing the gargoyle to jump aside.

They raced up the stairs and knocked on the door. "Come in."

When Snape saw them he said, "Miss Granger…and Miss Weasley. What can I do for you?"

"Actually, Professor, we need to speak with Professor Dumbledore."

"We do?" Ginny asked. Ginny hadn't spoken with Dumbledore since before he died.

"Did someone call upon me?" Dumbledore's portrait spoke.

"Yes," Hermione answered.

"Ah, Miss Granger, once again. I trust you've spoken to Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yes, I have and we're just fine," she blushed and tried to cover her smile.

"Is it possible that you're better than, 'just fine?'"

"We're actually…er…well, we're dating Professor, but that's not why Ginny and I are here. We're here about Harry and Ron." She changed the subject quickly at Dumbledore and Snape's surprised yet understanding reactions. "I was wondering, sir, if you happen to have the other half of the mirror Sirius gave Harry. I think Harry has it with him."

Ginny squealed. "Hermione! You're brilliant!"

"Professor, please, we need to speak with Harry and Ron. It's important." She knew there was nothing particularly urgent to tell or ask them, but it was still important to Ginny to see them, and it was important to Hermione as well.

"Well, girls, I'm sorry to tell you that I don't have it. My brother Aberforth is in current possession of the mirror."

"Where is he? Is there somewhere we can find him?" Ginny asked urgently.

"I believe that you should be able to find him at the Hog's Head Inn. He's the owner, you see."

"That's your brother?" Hermione asked curiously. "The one who was with you in the Order of the Phoenix?"

"The one and only, yes."

Both girls looked shocked. Recovering, Hermione said, "Our next Hogsmeade trip isn't until two weeks from now." Ginny looked defeated. Clearly, she had thought of this obstacle as well.

Snape surprised everyone by chiming in, "I would be willing to escort Miss Granger to Hogsmeade this evening."

"Thank you so much, Professor! But, Draco and I are meeting with Professor McGonagall at five o'clock."

"You can meet me in the entrance hall at six o'clock, Miss Granger."

"I will, Professor. Thank you so very much. We'll be going now."

She escorted Ginny out of the office and both girls were giddy as they walked down the stairs and headed outside to spend the afternoon at Hagrid's hut.


	9. Chapter 9: Hog's Head

Author's Note: Hey, hey, hey!! I hope I left you all un unbearable suspense over these last few days!! Enjoy and REVIEW!!

**Chapter Nine**

**Hog's Head**

Hermione and Ginny were in Hagrid's hut for the first time since school started.

"I was begginnin' ter think yeh lot forgot 'bout me this year." Hagrid sounded slightly dejected when the two girls walked through the door.

"We're sorry, Hagrid, it's just been a busy year already," Hermione said defensively.

"Yeh preparin' fer yer NEWTS already are yeh?" Hagrid seemed to understand this excuse.

"Not exactly," Hermione hung her head, not sure how Hagrid would take the news of what had been going on lately. It's not like she could tell him what Malfoy was doing, she would just leave that part out when she was forced to explain to him that she was dating the Slytherin bad boy.

"Well, yeh're here now aren' yeh?"

"Yeah, we are, Hagrid. We are," Ginny said a little sadly.

"Speakin' of which, where're Harry an' Ron?" Hagrid appeared to have just realized they were missing, not having thought of it before because he hadn't seen any of them.

There was an awkward silence and Ginny and Hermione didn't know exactly what to say. Harry and Ron were like sons to Hagrid, and he was pretty much the only father figure Harry had left aside from Mr. Weasley. Hagrid had the right to know where Harry and Ron were.

Hermione was the brave one, because Ginny looked like she was on the verge of tears. Hermione looked at Ginny, then at Hagrid. She bowed her head, studying her feet. "They're not here, Hagrid."

"Well, I know they're not here, Hermione. Don't tell me they've earned detention again."

"No, Hagrid, you don't understand." She looked pleadingly into his eyes. "I mean, they're not here at Hogwarts this year. They've gone off on a task for Dumbledore."

"Without yeh? I can' believe that." Hagrid still seemed confused.

"Yes, without me," Hermione said.

"I can' believe you would let them go on such a huge adventure without yeh, though, Hermione."

"It's my fault," Ginny's little voice came out of the corner. "Harry made her stay for me. So I wouldn't be alone."

"What're they doin'? Do yeh even know where they are?" Hagrid sounded concerned, as Hermione and Ginny knew he would be.

"No, we don't." Ginny started to cry, and Hermione felt like doing the exact same thing as she said those words. "We have no clue." Hermione didn't think it was best to tell Hagrid about the mirror. It was a secret that needed to be kept between her, Ginny, Dumbledore and Snape.

"What're they doin'?" Hagrid asked hopefully.

"I'm so sorry, Hagrid, I can't say. All I'll say is it is for Dumbledore and it has to do with defeating Voldemort."

Ginny flinched and Hagrid tensed. "Don' say tha' name, Hermione."

"Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself." It felt like she had said that once before.

"It's not jus' that this time, Hermione. I only hope that Harry an' Ron know not to speak it…" Hagrid said absentmindedly.

"Why?" Ginny looked up at him.

"Well," Hagrid looked around for any listening ears or watching eyes. Seeing that there were none, he continued. "Yeh see, there's been a trace put on the name. Anyone who speaks it will be attacked by the Death Eaters."

"Are we safe here?"

"I should think so, but best not say it again, just to be sure. You-Know-Who knows Harry's not here, but still…" He changed the subject quickly, now, seeing that the girls were uncomfortable and slightly upset. "Anyhow, I jus' hope we hear from 'em soon. So, how are yeh girls, despite Harry an' Ron?"

"Harry's all I can think about," Ginny said, miserably, "but I'd wager that Hermione's having a much better year."

"Ginny, shhh!"

"What's she talkin' abou' Hermione?"

Hermione squinted and glared at Ginny. "Nothing, forget it."

"Hermione, he's gonna find out anyway, you might as well tell him," Ginny urged.

"FINE! I'll tell him." She turned to Hagrid, wanting to break the news to him slowly. "Well, you probably know that I'm Head Girl, and Draco Malfoy is Head Boy."

"Yeah, I do, and I felt bad abou' that, Hermione."

"No, Hagrid, don't, it's actually fine. It's better than fine, really," and she let a smile escape her lips."

"I don' understand, Hermione, what are yeh tryin' ter tell me?"

"Well, he's not a bad guy, Hagrid. He's entirely misunderstood, and no one bothered to ask why he was so terrible because of who his father is. His meanness is completely psychological. He's only mean because he was afraid of his real feelings, and basically how his father would react to them. Don't you see?"

"I hones'ly never though' of it that way, Hermione." Hagrid sat in thought. "I suppose he could be all right, but tha' can' be the only reason he waited so long."

"He said he was afraid of Harry and Ron."

"That makes sense, it does." The three of them laughed. Hermione checked her watch. It was fifteen minutes to five. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry Hagrid, but I'm supposed to meet Professor McGonagall in fifteen minutes."

"That's jus' fine, Hermione, jus' come back soon, all right?"

"We will, Hagrid. Ginny, are you coming, or staying a while longer?"

"I think I'll come wait for you to finish with McGonagall. I'd like to meet you at six?" She winked out of Hagrid's line of sight. Hermione understood that she wanted to go to Hogsmeade with her and Snape.

"Okay, let's go. See you, Hagrid."

They made their way out onto the lawn and trekked back up to the castle.

"Do you think Snape will let me come?"

"That's hard to say, Ginny, but I don't see why not. I'll meet you in the common room as soon as we're done with McGonagall."

Ginny nodded as they pushed the great front door to the entrance hall open. Draco was standing there waiting for Hermione. "Hey there, beautiful."

"Hey!" She smiled at him and Ginny touched her arm and whispered, "I'll see you later."

Hermione ran over to Malfoy and hugged him close to her. "Is it possible that I missed you in that small amount of time?"

"I think so, because I missed you terribly." He kissed her. He tasted like chocolate.

She giggled when she broke their kiss. "What have you been eating? I feel like I'm snogging a Willy Wonka tester."

"A what tester?" Hermione forgot that he didn't grow up in the Muggle world.

"Willy Wonka. It's a brand of candy that Muggles eat. It's delicious. Anyway, you taste wonderful, my dear. May I have some more?"

"What do you say?"

"_Please?_ Can I have some more?" She giggled as she pulled his lips toward hers.

Then a thought came to her and she broke their kiss once more.

"You're really going to have to stop doing that, Mione."

"Sorry, but I've just realized something."

"What?"

"You wanted me to meet you at seven in our room?"

"_Our_ room. I like the sound of that. But yes, I wanted you to meet me at seven. You can make it, can't you? Please say that you can make it. We've only been an official couple for less than twenty-four hours and you're breaking our first date?"

"I'm not breaking it, love, I just don't think I'll be on time is all."

"Well, why didn't you say so before I had a heart attack? Jeez, Mione, I didn't think you wanted me anymore for a second there."

"Never. C'mon. Let's go see what McGonagall has to say about your punching habits of late." She grabbed his hand and took off up the marble staircase, glad he never asked where she was going. They reached McGonagall's office door near the Transfiguration classroom and Hermione knocked with her right hand, her left was still joined with Malfoy's.

Professor McGonagall opened the door promptly and, eyeing their joint hands, ushered them inside. The Head Boy and Girl sat down opposite McGonagall's desk, never letting go of their death grip. Hermione guessed she was losing circulation, but couldn't care less.

"I trust you know why you're both here?" McGonagall started in her usual firm but kind tone.

Malfoy and Hermione looked at each other for a brief moment. "Not exactly, Professor," Hermione replied, confused.

"It's about your relationship actually. I'm not sure how you two came to make peace, and frankly, that's none of my business, but I just want to talk to you about the school's reaction." The two nodded in comprehension and she went on. "As I'm sure you are not shocked to hear, the rest of the school is rather worked up about your relationship, and it's obviously caused some hurt feelings already."

"Yes, Professor, we understand that. If this is about Draco punching Goyle, you have to understand that he was just trying to protect me."

"That's exactly my point, Miss Granger. He may need to protect you a lot. Gryffindors, I would suspect and hope, would take it better, and be kind to you."

"They have, so far," Hermione assured her, and Malfoy nodded in agreement.

"We haven't had any trouble with them. It's the people who called themselves _my_ friends that we've had trouble with. That will be different when Harry and Ron find out." Draco said this with regret in his voice. Hermione bit her lip and looked down at the floor.

The words McGonagall spoke next made more sense than anything they had heard yet. "Mr. Malfoy, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley's reactions to the situation. Granted, they are sure to be outraged at first, and that's to be expected after the differences the four of you have had, and the things your father has done to Harry. However, the part that may surprise you is the lengths to which they will go in order to ensure Miss Granger's happiness. If they see that she's happy, they'll let it be. Who knows, maybe they'll even be friendly after some time is given."

Hermione looked at Malfoy and put her remaining hand on the hand of his she was already holding. "She's right. Our real friends are the only opinion that really matters, and Ginny's on our side."

"She is?"

"She is," Hermione confirmed. "Actually, I believe her exact words were, "My best friend is dating a Slytherin. Cool!" Even McGonagall cracked a smile.

"So, the only reason I really called you two here today was to advise you to handle future situations, and I think it's safe to say that there will be future situations to be dealt with. So, as long as the two of you are prepared for this, then I wish you the best of luck. I also want you to know that I'm very happy that the two of you have worked things out. I honestly think that your relationship, if it goes well, would have the chance to finally bond Slytherin to the rest of the houses. It could finally bring unity to Hogwarts."

Hermione and Malfoy hadn't thought of this, but as it entered their minds, it seemed completely true, and it gave them a sense of hope for their relationship. Hermione checked her watch again. "If that's all, Professor, I have to be going."

"Yes, Miss Granger, I'm quite through. Have a pleasant evening, you two."

They left the office smiling. "That went much better than I thought. I thought I had a detention in the bag."

"If she wanted to give you detention, she wouldn't have asked me to go as well," Hermione said realistically. "Anyway, I have to go meet Ginny. I'll be as quick as I can. I love you." She kissed him and he replied with an, "I love you, too." It was wonderful, she thought, that they were starting to feel comfortable. It was still exciting, but they were beginning already to settle into each other and feel like a real couple.

Hermione raced up to the North Tower. "Lemon Drops." The Fat Lady swung forward and Hermione found Ginny waiting for her by the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey, Ginny, ready to go?"

"I've been ready since you asked Dumbledore about the mirror, now let's get out of here."

The two girls sped down the marble staircase to the entrance hall where Snape stood waiting for them. "Good evening," he greeted them.

"Good evening, Professor," they chimed.

"Professor, would it be all right if I came along?" Ginny asked hopefully.

"I don't know, it might draw too much attention to have both of you."

"Well, then Ginny can go without me. As much as I want to talk to my best friends, it's her brother and her boyfriend." She turned to Ginny, "You go, Ginny, I'll stay back here."

"No, Hermione you have to come. They'll answer you first."

"VERY WELL!" Snape interrupted them. They smiled and knew that their impromptu plan had worked. "Let's get moving then."

Without any objections, the girls followed him out onto the grounds, through the front entrance gates and into Hogsmeade village. They walked towards the Hog's Head Inn, which was separated slightly from the rest of the village. They walked under the creaky sign and through the door. The bearded barman they now knew to be Aberforth Dumbledore stood waiting for them behind the counter. The goat behind the bar escaped into the next room as Aberforth greeted them.

"Good evening, how can I help you, Professor? Ladies?"

"Good evening, Mr. Dumbledore," Snape greeted him in return. "I'm merely a chaperone to this little adventure off school grounds. It's the young ladies here that have business with you."

Aberforth turned to Hermione and to Ginny, who backed off slightly at the old man's gaze. "Hello, sir," Hermione began bravely. "We're looking for something."

"What might that be?" he asked curiously.

"A mirror that once belonged to Sirius Black. We've been informed that your brother gave it to you, and we'd like to see it, please."

"What business do you have with the mirror."

"It's not so much the mirror as who's on the other end of it."

"Ah, so you know its powers."

"We do. Would it be alright if we used it for a while?" Hermione asked again.

"Please sir," Aberforth turned his attention to the redhead beside the bold girl with the bushy brown hair. The redhead, he noticed, had a boldness all her own. "We need to talk to the person on the other end of the mirror."

"What do you want with Harry Potter? Yes, I know who has that mirror, girls," he said at their shocked expressions. "I've been keeping an eye on him and his friend incase they come across trouble."

"You're still in the Order, sir?" Hermione asked.

"Not actively, but I still believe in its purpose. I just don't believe they stand a chance against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"How did you know someone had the other end?" Hermione asked.

"I was asked to keep an eye on the boys by someone who knew me to have that mirror."

"Your brother?" Ginny asked.

"No, Molly Weasley."

Hermione whipped around to face Ginny. "Your mum knows they're not at school?"

"Apparently."

Aberforth looked slightly confused, and Snape just sat in the background watching the whole scene. "Your mum? You're Molly Weasley's daughter? And that boy, he's your brother? That must make you Ginevra, Harry Potter's girlfriend?"

"That's right, sir. Now, could I please see them?"

"Well, I'll show you the mirror, but I can't guarantee they'll answer. Then again, I've never actually called out for them, so it would be worth a shot."

"Let's do it, then!" Ginny was extremely impatient just now. It was understandably so. She was about to see the man she cried for every night. She missed his touch more than anything, but to see his face and hear his voice would be enough for her to get through the night. Hermione was beginning to understand how she felt. If it were Draco on the other end of that mirror and Hermione hadn't seen him in over a month, she'd probably be just as desperate as Ginny. Though, she did miss her two confidantes greatly.

"Very well, follow me, please."

Aberforth led the girls upstairs, and Snape stayed put. The wooden stairs creaked on the way up, and there were cobwebs at the top. He led them into a small room with blue carpeting. There was a fireplace to the right with a huge portrait of a young girl hanging over them. There was a sofa facing the fireplace, and a table next to the dirty window. Other than that, the room was relatively unfurnished. Aberforth walked to the fireplace and took the sought mirror off of the mantle. It had been sitting right beneath the large portrait of the girl. He handed it to Ginny, and the two girls sat right next to each other on the old brown couch.

Ginny looked at Hermione for the go-ahead, who nodded. Ginny took a deep breath and spoke to the mirror. "Harry?" There was no answer. "Harry, are you there?" Again there was no answer and panic spread across Ginny's face.

"_Harry, answer me, please!"_ There was no answer for the third time.

"Look, girlie, I told you not to expect much from the mirror. I haven't seen them much myself, and I check the thing five times a…"

He was interrupted by another voice. "Ginny!"

Harry was looking up at Ginny through the mirror. "Ginny, oh my God, how did you get this mirror?"

"Oh, Harry!" Ginny's face leaked with tears. She noticed Harry was crying, too. "Harry, I'll explain later. Just tell me how you are, love. Are you all right?"

"Yes, we're fine, Ginny. Oh, God, it feels good to say your name again. Oh, my love I miss you so much. Sometimes I can't sleep."

"Harry, I can never sleep. I keep wishing you were next to me."

Aberforth walked out of the room, wanting to give them privacy. "Harry, tell me where you are."

"I can't do that, Ginny, you know I can't. You need to tell me how you got that mirror. I thought Sirius had it when he died."

"Dumbledore had it and he gave it to his brother. We're in a room above Hog's Head."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Where's Ron?"

"He's keeping watch outside. I'll get him in a minute. Right now I just want to keep hearing your voice. How are things at Hogwarts? Calm?"

"For the most part." She looked at Hermione.

"Ginny, you said 'we're' in a room above Hog's Head.' Is Hermione with you?"

"Yes, Harry, she's here."

"Why did you look at her when you said, 'for the most part?'"

"Never mind, Harry," Hermione stepped in. Ginny handed her the mirror.

"No, Hermione, what's going on? Why would things not be okay? Is it the Death Eaters?" Harry was worried, she could tell.

"Stop worrying, Harry. It's not the Death Eaters. I'll tell you later. Right now I want to ask you if you've found anything."

"What are you looking for, Harry?" Ginny still didn't know about the Horcruxes.

"I'm sorry, Ginny, I can't tell you exactly what it is. All I can tell you is that it's…" he wanted to choose his words just right, "…it's just sort of clues that will help us end You-Know-Who. Yes, I know about the trace on the name." The girls looked surprised that Harry didn't say Voldemort like he usually did. "Anyway, Ginny, basically You-Know-Who can't be stopped until Ron and I find all these pieces."

"That's enough information for me. Thank you for trusting me with that, Harry."

"I love you, Ginny. I don't want to treat you like a little baby who can't handle the truth." Ginny smiled. That was all she ever wanted was to not be treated like the youngest daughter anymore, but as a person who had curiosity and a person who was able to help. That, of course, changed slightly after Dumbledore's Army started, but it was gestures like this from Harry that made her feel useful in some way.

"Well, Harry?" Hermione urged, "_Did_ you find anything?"

"Not yet, but we're headed to Godric's Hollow. We think Bathilda Bagshot might know something.

"The author?"

"That's the one." Harry turned around. "Oh, Ron, come here."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't because she was in love with him, but still, he was Ron. He was really the one she was afraid to tell about her and Malfoy. "What's goin' on, Harry?"

"Ginny and Hermione found the other mirror."

"WHAT?!" Ron was on the other end of the mirror in a heartbeat. "Ginny! Hermione! How are you two? How's Hogwarts?"

"It's just fine, Ron," Ginny answered.

"Hermione, how's life as Head Girl?"

"It's great, Ron, thanks for asking." Things seemed awfully formal between the two of them.

"Who's Head Boy, again?"

"Malfoy."

"Oh, Hermione, that's awful! Don't you have to share a common room with him? I mean, isn't it just the two of you?" Typical Ron, behaving like a child.

"It's not so bad, Ron. He's different without you guys." Ginny eyed Hermione suspiciously. Hermione met her eyes and gave her a look that said, _stop!_

"Still, Hermione, it's Malfoy. I feel so bad for you."

"Honestly, Ronald. It's not that bad! Believe me, he's different."

"I don't believe this. When have you ever defended Malfoy? Don't tell me you're friends with him, or something?"

"No, I'm not exactly friends with him."

"Well, good, then. If you were dating him I don't know what I'd do, but I guess we don't have to ever worry about that." He laughed. "Harry, wouldn't that be funny? Malfoy and Hermione." The two of them broke out in laughter.

Soon, Ginny was laughing too, but for the irony. "Okay, children, that's really enough."

"Sorry, Hermione. We won't put such horrid thoughts in your head."

Hermione had to nudge Ginny to stop her from smiling.

Aberforth walked back in the room. "Look, kids, if you want to take that mirror, you need it more than I do. Go ahead and take it."

"Thank you!" Ginny squealed. "Harry, did you hear? You're coming with me!" She felt giddy, and a bit like she wasn't acting her age, but she couldn't have cared less.

Hermione smiled. Within seconds, Ginny and Harry were crying again. This time it was for the pure happiness that came from knowing they could talk whenever, wherever. Hermione also knew that the mirror was an excellent way for Ginny to know if Harry was okay. If he answered, she didn't have to worry anymore.

Hermione battled with herself the whole way back to the castle. She hadn't been able to tell Harry and Ron about her and Draco. She hated to think she was ashamed of him, but didn't think that was accurate anyway. It was merely that she wanted it to be in person. It made sense to her, anyway.


	10. Chapter 10: News From Both Ends

Author's note: Sorry it's been a while guys! Enjoy and REVIEW!

**Chapter Ten**

**News From Both Ends of the Mirror**

Hermione and Ginny were still walking back towards the castle after their journey to Hogsmeade with Snape. His strides were well ahead of theirs. They were sure that he found the silence slightly awkward. The girls would have found it awkward too, had they not been completely lost in their own thoughts.

Hermione was thinking about McGonagall's words. McGonagall seemed to think that Harry and Ron would understand as long as she was happy, and Hermione agreed with that. That was exactly why she didn't know what stopped her from telling them that she and Draco were dating. She loved him after all, and she certainly wasn't trying to hide from anyone…except them. Hermione noticed Ginny kept eyeing Hermione's bag, where the mirror was currently residing. "Ginny, stop giving my bag that puppy dog look. We'll be back to the castle soon enough and you can take the mirror to your room and talk to Harry, okay?"

"Fine." Ginny looked slightly dejected, but hopeful at the thought of talking to Harry, knowing she could whenever she wanted.

Hermione was just excited to get back to the common room and see what Draco had planned.

They finally entered the castle and without a word, Snape strode off to the dungeons, and Hermione and Ginny climbed the marble staircase. They stepped off behind a suit of armor and Hermione pulled the mirror out of her bag and handed it to Ginny who hid it with care under her robes. She said good-bye to Hermione and dashed off toward Gryffindor tower. Hermione walked the short distance to the Surrey Phoenix portrait. "Eleka nahmen." The portrait swung forward as usual, and Hermione stepped through. The room was dimly lit with candles floating all around overhead. Draco had conjured a table covered in an elegant scarlet tablecloth with rose petals sprinkled across it. There were bottles of butterbeer, which were clearly going to be poured into the waiting champagne glasses. Hermione looked round at Draco and saw that he was wearing a tuxedo. "You did all this?"

"I did. Like it, do you?" He smiled.

"I love it, but it all looks so elegant. I feel like a slob right now."

"Well, I think you look amazing, but I knew you would feel that way. There's a dress waiting on your bed."

Hermione positively beamed. "You're wonderful, you know that?"

"Hmm, you didn't used to think so."

"Well, dear, times are changing." She went over for a quick kiss before going running upstairs excitedly to put on her dress. She climbed the stairs carefully, knowing he was watching her.

Hermione walked into her dormitory and there, sprawled across her bed, she found the most beautiful dress she had ever seen in her life. She knew it was expensive, but also that Draco could afford it. She picked it up to get a better look at it. It was a brilliant satin red and it was long and flowing. She went to the bathroom and fixed her hair and makeup. When she slipped the dress over her head she felt like a princess. That was exactly how Draco had wanted her to feel. She examined herself in the mirror. The dress was strapless, but it wrapped around her perfectly, flowing elegantly all the way down to her ankles. It went perfectly with her brown hair and eyes. But she only had one question. What was this all for?

She headed downstairs ever so slowly. She noticed Draco turn around when he realized she was coming. He walked over to wait directly at the bottom of the stairs and clasped his hands behind his back. She felt like one of those women in the old movies again. This time, it was the night of the big date, and they were both trying to impress each other equally. Her foot finally reached the bottom step and he held out both hands to her. "You look stunning, Hermione."

"Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself, love." She kissed him, only vaguely thinking about the fact that she was messing up her lip gloss. He stuck out his elbow for her to grab, and escorted her to the table.

When they were both seated, Draco pulled the cover off of the food. The room was filled with the scent of steak and potatoes.

"Draco, this looks wonderful. But, you know I have to ask: did you get the house elves to do this for you?" She looked at him seriously.

"Hermione, it's not like I can cook this myself. It's the only option I had. Are you saying you don't like it or you won't eat it?" Draco looked extremely disappointed.

"Well, no, that's not what I'm saying, but were you at least nice to them? As long as you didn't bully it out of them, I'll still eat it."

"If you consider giving them a sickle each for their trouble bullying, then I guess I have some apologizing to do."

"Oh, Draco, you really did that?" Hermione beamed at him. She couldn't believe he remembered how she felt about taking advantage of house elves.

"I really did, Mione. I remember that S.P.E.W. stuff you did, and I knew it would upset you if I didn't give them something for helping me out."

"Thank you. For everything."

They ate the rest of their meal having a normal conversation. Hermione told him what it was like to grow up in a Muggle household. He was fascinated by electricity, especially microwaves. He also thought Muggle sports were strange. He was completely lost when she tried to explain baseball to him. "So, there's one beater that stands still while the picture throws the ball at him? And he tries to get it past the keepers that are standing all over?"

"_Pitcher_, not picture." She giggled at the way he mixed up the words. "And they're not really beaters, they're called batters, and each team gets a chance to hit the ball past the 'keepers' that are really called fielders."

"I think I get it."

They didn't talk about anything too serious, like Lucius. It was an extremely relaxed evening, which was really the point. Neither of them had felt so calm all year so far. They were sitting on the couch, curled up next to one another when they heard a noise near the window.

"What was that?" Hermione opened her eyes and came out of her trance.

The rapping noise came again. "I'm not sure." Malfoy looked around. "Who's there?" He pulled out his wand and checked all around him and Hermione. The Hermione laughed.

"Dray, look." She stifled another giggle as she walked over to the window. "It's just Pig." She let Ron's owl in the window. She detached the tightly rolled note from his leg. "It's from Ginny."

Can I come by in a bit? Ron and Harry want to speak to the both of us tonight.

Ginny

Hermione scrawled back her answer telling Ginny to come in about twenty minutes. She wondered what they could have wanted to talk about that was so urgent.

"What did she say?" Hermione realized she had been silent for the last couple of minutes, and hadn't told Draco a thing.

"Oh," she snapped out of her reverie, "Ginny just needs to speak with me alone. She's coming by in a while." She didn't think it was the best idea to tell him she had communication with Harry and Ron. He'd probably want to tell them straight away and get it over with. He had nothing to lose by telling them. They already hated him. Besides, it had to be Hermione that told him. It couldn't be anyone else, not even Ginny.

"Oh, okay." He hung his head a little, still seated on the edge of the couch. She felt like he was fully aware that she was keeping something from him, yet he knew she had a good reason. Still, she couldn't help feeling guilty. She knew she wasn't supposed to keep anything from the man she loved, but this had to be the exception.

Hermione walked over to him and sat down next to him so closely that a piece of parchment couldn't fit between them. "Listen, Dray, I love you, you know that don't you?"

"Of course. That's exactly why I don't understand why you can't tell me what's going on, especially if it's troubling you."

"Nothing's really troubling me right now. It's just, Ginny and I get so worried about Harry and Ron being on their own. It's really dangerous, you know?"

"Trust me Hermione, from the standpoint of Harry's enemy; he's a tough fighter, and an incredibly challenging competitor. Together he and Ron can probably do just about anything."

However difficult it was to believe that Draco Malfoy said encouraging words regarding his enemies, it was equally as simple to believe what made him say it. If it was never obvious before, it was obvious at this moment that he loved Hermione Granger, and would overcome anything to make her happy. He would reconcile with Harry and Ron, he would punch his best friend when he insulted her, and he would even stand up to his terrifying father.

Hermione gaped at him for a moment. Then she threw her legs over his lap and wrapped her arms fiercely around his neck. She kissed him with as much love as she could muster. She wanted him to feel how much those words meant to her.

They were so absorbed in each other that neither of them noticed Ginny clamber through the portrait hole. "Ahem," Ginny blushed, but it was more out of trying not to burst out laughing than from embarrassment. It was a sight she never thought she would see. Hermione Granger was snogging Draco Malfoy. It was a story for the ages, it was.

They parted immediately and smiled at each other before looking at Ginny. "Sorry," she apologized, "I figured you'd be expecting me?"

"We were, Ginny. You don't mind, do you?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

"Of course I don't mind," she grinned. "I would leave you to continue, but this is important, Hermione."

"I believe that's my cue to leave. I'll be up in my room, Mione." He kissed her good-bye and went towards the dormitory entrance marked with green and silver. Hermione watched him go then turned back to Ginny.

"So, what's up? What do they want?"

"No clue. Harry just told me to have the mirror in front of me at 10:00. It's 9:55, so it won't be long. But my gosh, Hermione," she looked around at the elegantly decorated room, "did Malfoy do _all_ of this for you?"

Hermione smiled at the thought of it and blushed slightly. "Yes, he did. Isn't it romantic?"

"I guess, yeah! I just never…well, you know."

"Yeah, believe me, Ginny. I know what you mean. Even when I realized I was in love with him, I didn't think he could be so romantic."

Ginny looked very sad all of a sudden. "Ginny, this is what you miss the most, isn't it? Things like this are what you miss about Harry the most."

Ginny sniffled, trying to fight back the tears. "Yes, it is." She pulled out the picture of her and Harry kissing that was taken the day he left for wherever he was. She just stared at it, and Hermione looked the other way.

Within a couple minutes, she put it away and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm just glad I get to talk to him in the mirror now. I can't tell you how happy that makes me, Hermione."

"I believe, you." Hermione hugged her friend and wiped away a tear. "It's going to be just fine, Ginny. They're going to be all right."

"I want to believe you, Hermione but you have no way of knowing for sure."

"True, very true."

It was 10:03 and Harry and Ron still hadn't come. "Where are they?"

"It's only been three minutes, Gin, they'll be here."

It seemed to be just then that Ginny noticed that Hermione was all dressed up. "Oh my gosh, Hermione. I'm sorry I didn't notice before! You look beautiful. Where did you get that dress?" Hermione didn't blame her for being preoccupied when she came in, but she thought the long red dress and her fancy up-do would have been pretty obvious. Given the circumstances, she ignored the tardiness of Ginny's compliment.

"Dray bought it for me. Isn't it amazing? Who knew he had such wonderful taste."

"_Dray?_" Ginny raised her eyebrows and smirked while Hermione turned slightly pink.

"Sorry. But yes, we have nicknames for each other. Kind of like how I call you Gin, you know?"

"Well yes, I know. I guess I just still haven't gotten over the shock of you dating a Slytherin, let alone Malfoy."

"I thought you were on our side, Ginny. I need you to be on my side when Harry and Ron find out."

"Find out what?" Harry and Ron had suddenly appeared in the mirror.

Hermione tried to recover herself. "Nothing, Ron. Nevermind."

"Hermione, you're hiding something from us. We're your best friends, don't do this."

"Yeah, well, maybe it's girl stuff that you just wouldn't understand." She felt like that may have been a little too defensive, but she just wasn't ready to tell them yet. She just needed to have someone slap her on the back so it accidentally came out. That would make life so much easier. Little did she know she was about to get her wish.

"Fine, Hermione, be that way. But we're still here if you want to tell us, okay?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "We'll always be willing to listen."

"Thanks, but not just yet."

"Why are you all dressed up, anyway?" Ron asked out of the blue.

"Hey, I thought you wanted to tell us something. What was that?" She tried desperately to change the subject. Ginny was watching, clearly entertained.

"Don't change the subject, Hermione," Harry said. "Answer our question. Why are you all dressed up?"

"I…er…well…I sort of…had a date." She could feel her cheeks flushing and she tried to cover them with her hands unsuccessfully.

"A DATE!?" Ron spat. Harry elbowed him in the gut

"Good for you, Hermione. Who did you go out with?" Hermione could tell Harry was genuinely happy for her, being able to move on. Ron on the other hand looked upset despite the fact that he said he wanted her to move on.

"Yeah, Hermione. I'm happy for you, too," Ron added quickly.

"Who's the guy?" Harry asked again.

"Um, you don't know him." That was the first answer that came to the tip of her tongue and she rolled her eyes wishing she could have come up with something better.

"Is he a seventh year?" Ron asked.

"Um, yeah, he is."

"Then how could we not know him?" Harry asked as Ron nodded in agreement.

"I just don't think you do, okay?"

"Try us."

What happened after that made Hermione want to Disapparate and never reappear. "Hermione?" Malfoy came down the stairs from his dormitory, and before Hermione could interject he was walking over to the couch saying, "Are you almost done? Sorry, Ginny but I'd like to get back to our date."

"No, we're not almost done, go back upstairs." She could feel her palms sweating. She was getting extremely nervous.

"Is that him, Hermione? Let us see, maybe we know him."

"What are you two doing? Whose voice was that?" Draco was nearing closer. Soon he would be in the line of sight of the mirror.

"That voice sounds familiar, Hermione. Wait, are you in your common room?" Harry asked.

"Oh, _bloody hell!_" Ron shouted. "_Hermione you've GOT to be kidding!_ _DRACO MALFOY? HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER, IN ALL MY LIFE..."_

"Draco, please go back upstairs." She was starting to cry. The last thing she needed was Ron yelling at her. She really wished she could have taken back ever wanting this to come out quickly.

"No, I'm staying here with you. You're talking to Harry and Ron? Why didn't you tell me you could?"

"I didn't want you trying to tell them about us."

"_About us?_" Ron mocked back, receiving another jab from Harry.

"Ronald, please don't do this. I was so afraid to tell you." Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now. "He's different, please just trust me."

"Hermione," Harry spoke now, as Ron appeared to be speechless. "If this is really what you want we obviously can't stop you." He looked at Ginny. "How do you feel about it, Gin? You've seen them together."

"He's changed, Harry. They're actually really cute together. You should have seen the way he took out Crabbe and Goyle. Two separate times. Once in Potions, once in the Great Hall, which I actually saw. It was so cute."

"Do you trust him?"

"Yeah, Harry, I think I do."

"I trust your judgment, then. I trust yours, too, Hermione. If you want to be with him, then I'm happy for you. Aren't you, Ron?"

"What? Um, I guess so." He looked at Hermione seriously, and she looked back with equal seriousness. "Hermione, you're sure?"

Hermione looked at Draco, who nodded encouragingly. She turned her face back to Ron's, looking helplessly at her through the mirror. She could see this was killing him. He was having a hard time letting go of the idea that she could have been his. At the same time, Ron knew he couldn't blame Harry for dragging him along. He had gone completely voluntarily.

"I'm sure, Ron. I love him." At these words Ron turned his back to the mirror, but continued to speak. She was convinced he was crying and didn't want her to see. She also assumed this was true by the sympathetic look Harry was giving his best mate.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. You know that if it was anyone else…"

"I know, Ron, you'd feel differently. Please try to understand. It would be so much easier if you were here, and you could see that he's different."

Without warning, Draco took the mirror gently from her hands as he sat down next to her. "Ron, Harry, I love her. I hope you can accept that, and also my apology. I've been a complete ass over the years and that explanation can be saved for later, when you're here in person. I've loved her for ages, but I was afraid to admit it for a number of reasons."

"What?" Ron asked snottily. "So you covered it up by calling her a Mudblood every chance you got?"

"I regret that completely. I guess I was just that afraid to admit how I really felt. The point is, I have admitted it now, and I couldn't be happier." He looked at Hermione and smiled. "She means the world to me, and so does your approval."

"You actually care what we think? Why?" asked Harry. Ginny still sat, completely silent.

"Why? I care because Hermione does. I think that if she didn't have your blessing she would walk out on me."

"That's not true," she whispered.

"Well," Harry answered. "You have my approval, and I accept your apology. I can't say that it will be easy to forgive and forget, but I'll try."

"Thanks, Potter. Weasley?"

Ron was still turned around. "Yeah, sure, whatever." He turned back around slowly, facing the broken piece of mirror Harry was holding. "Malfoy?"

"Weasley…"

"Take good care of her. If you hurt her at all I _will_ kill you."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He put his arm around Hermione's back and kissed her cheek as he handed the mirror back to Ginny. He spoke only to Hermione now. "I'll leave you two alone again. Just don't be long, okay?"

"I'll try." He got up to way and she grabbed his hand and stood up so she was eye level with him. Neither of them noticed that Ginny had turned the mirror so Harry and Ron could watch secretly. This was her way of getting them to see that it wasn't an act. "Dray, wait." She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him and he did the same. He closed his eyes as she pressed her cheek to his chest. "Thank you for staying, and for saying those things."

"Hey, look at me." He lifted her chin. "I love you, Beautiful. Nothing will ever change that. Got it?"

"Got it." With that, she let him go and he retreated upstairs. She went and sat in an armchair facing away from Ginny when she saw the look on Ginny's face and heard her talking to Harry.

Ginny quickly turned the mirror back so it was facing her. She was crying again. She was only talking to Harry. Ron walked off as soon as she started crying, sensing that it was about to get mushy. "Harry, I miss you so much. Every time I see them together I just want to hold you and hear you say you love me right in my ear."

"I can tell you that right now, Ginny. I love you to pieces."

"It's not the same, Harry, and you know it."

"I know, Gin, but this will all be over soon. Where's Hermione? I'll tell you both what we needed to talk about right now."

Hermione came over to where Ginny was, and Ron reappeared in the mirror. "What's up?" Ginny asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"We just wanted to tell you that we're going to Godric's Hollow." He said this ever so quietly. Hermione desperately hoped they were using the protective spells she taught them on the tent.

"Harry, that's dangerous. Don't you think You-Know-Who knows you'll go there?" Hermione didn't agree with this plan at all.

"It's worth the risk. That's where Bathilda Bagshot lives. We think she might know something, anything. Plus, you know I'm dying to see my parents' grave, Hermione."

"Just be careful, and don't completely trust anyone."

"I know, I know."

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Ginny?"

"Just remember. You promised to come back."

"I remember, Ginny. We have to go, now. We've been talking for far too long, we can't risk being caught. I love you, Ginny."

"I love you too, Harry. I love you, too Ron."

"Same here, Ginny. And Hermione, we both love you, okay? So just be careful. And I meant what I said. I will kill him if he hurts you."

Hermione smiled. "I know you meant it, Ronald. I'll be careful. Keep us posted."

"Will do. Good night." Harry said to both girls.

"Good night," they said together.

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other. "Still think they'll be fine?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"Yes, I do. I still think it's a trap, but I know they'll be prepared to get out of the trap if they're watching for one."

"I hope you're right," Ginny sighed.


	11. Chapter 11: Family Envy

Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while, people! Enjoy and REVIEW:

**Chapter Eleven**

**Family Envy**

The weather turned cold as they entered December. Things had been going along as usual for the most part. Classes were going extremely well for Hermione, as always. Communication was continued with Harry and Ron whenever possible, which was welcomingly frequent. Sometimes Malfoy was around for Hermione and Ginny's conversations with them, and it was beginning to feel like they had never loathed him. Hermione hoped dearly that her two best friends were actually growing somewhat fond of the man she loved. Nothing could mean more to her than having all five of them be friends. She couldn't help feeling sorry for Ron, though. He still looked at her sometimes, with sadness, when she would sit by Draco or kiss him on the cheek while the mirror was in front of them. She pretended she couldn't see the look on his face, but they both knew she could. Still, Ginny assured her from conversations she had with them when Hermione wasn't around that he was feeling much better about it, and he was happy for her.

Ridiculing from their classmates continued, albeit less often. Almost all of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had come to terms with the Gryffindor/Slytherin relationship. It was the two houses that were affected that had the most trouble with it. True, Gryffindor coped better than Slytherin, but nevertheless, it wasn't completely the way Hermione could have hoped. The disapproval that bothered her the most was that of Seamus Finnigan. They had always been friends, or so she thought. He roomed with Harry and Ron for six years, after all. They would see each other in the halls and as she prepared to acknowledge him, he would turn away and pretend he didn't see her. One day when she was in the Gryffindor common room checking up on things as part of her duties as Head Girl, she saw him sitting on the couch and decided it was time for a confrontation. She walked over to where he was sitting and put her hands on her hips. "Seamus, it's time for you to tell me why you've been avoiding me." All the heads in the vicinity turned to watch Hermione. The first years looked frightened. The seventh years seemed like giants to them.

Seamus stood up to face her. "You want to know why I've been avoiding you, do you? Isn't it obvious, Hermione?"

"No, Seamus, it's not."

"You walk around here pretending like it doesn't bother anyone that you're dating the Slytherin rat that went around criticizing everyone with Muggle parentage and whatnot." Seamus was angry as he got closer to her. He gritted his teeth and got right in her face. Gryffindor ears leaned in closer trying to hear. "It's kind of like you're betraying us right back, you know? And why are you acting like he never hurt your feelings in all the time you've known him?"

These words were a huge blow to Hermione. "I'm not pretending that he never did those things, Seamus, but he's changed. And you know something? If you took one look at the way he is around me instead of turning your back on a fellow Gryffindor, you would see that he loves me, and that he's different." She stopped to breathe and regain her composure. "Look around you. Most people in this room have come to terms with it. Not that I care who accepts my personal relationships, but I'm just saying that maybe you're overreacting."

"Fine, Hermione, he's changed. Whatever." Without another single word, Seamus gathered up his Charms essay he had been working on, and took off up the dormitory steps.

Hermione realized everyone in the room was staring at her. "Well, the show's over, people! You can go back to minding your own business anytime now." She felt that may have been a little rude, so she added, "Please."

Hermione spent the remainder of Saturday morning shut up in the common room with all of the drapes closed. She just needed time to reflect on things. Even she wasn't sure what. The day wasn't shaping out to be the best. The one time Draco stopped in the common room he asked what was wrong and all she told him was that Seamus was being a prat and that she missed Harry and Ron. He kissed her on the forehead and said, "Wait here. I'll be back." She didn't even bother to wonder where he had gone. She was more curious about whether or not Harry and Ron found any other Horcruxes. They had the locket that they somehow stole from Umbridge of all people. They hadn't taken the time to explain how. They already knew that the diary was destroyed. Hermione thought there might be something fishy about the snitch that Dumbledore gave Harry in his will. She made a mental note to ask him about it next time she was in Snape's office, which she secretly hoped wasn't too soon. She simply wondered if they had found anymore clues. With everything else going on, she hadn't given much thought to the matter.

She was still sitting in the dark when Draco came back to the common room. He climbed into the portrait hole and Hermione looked up at him. "Follow me," he said. He held out his hand as he handed her her cloak and she followed him out of the portrait hole, down the corridor to the marble staircase and out onto the grounds.

"Oh, Dray! It's beautiful!" she sighed when they stepped outside. Having had the windows closed all day, she couldn't see that it had snowed for the first time that winter and it hadn't been walked on by anyone yet. It snowed a lot and it was continuing to fall as he pulled her behind the tall, frost covered hedge. He pulled her close and she could see their breath meet in the cold air. Yet, somehow, she didn't feel cold. This alone was making her day so much brighter.

Her arms were tucked up between their chests and his were wrapped tightly around her shoulders. "Dray, this is _so _romantic." She put her head down on his chest and he kissed her hair. "Don't ever let go of me."

"I assure you, I don't intend to. I love you way too much to do that." Hermione looked up at him and he leaned in to kiss her. For a moment it felt like their lips would freeze together, but quite honestly, she didn't mind. They were both starting to warm up and they didn't even notice the great bead-like pair of eyes watching them from afar. Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco inside his cloak as the un-trodden path of snow leading towards them was ruined by half-giant footsteps.

"Gerroff her! What do yeh think yer doin?"

"Hagrid!" Hermione shouted as the great man pulled Draco off of her with one hand, setting him down to the side.

"Don' yeh ever touch her again, yeh hear me yeh Muggle-hater?"

"Hagrid, what are you doing?"

"Pullin' him off yeh o' course, Hermione! He was all over yeh."

"Exactly, Hagrid!"

"Hermione, are you tellin' me yeh were kissin' him back? Yeh're not hallucinatin' imaginin' him ter be Ron, are yeh? I know you miss them, Hermione, but Malfoy's not the best route as a substitute for Ron."

"Hagrid, what are you talking about. I told you ages ago about us, and besides, you know Ron and I were never a couple." Hermione looked confused.

"_Us_? What do yeh mean by sayin' _us_, Hermione? And, I know you and Ron weren' a couple. I just always though' yeh would be."

"Us, meaning me and Draco, Hagrid. We've been a couple for some time now." She didn't understand the baffled look on Hagrid's face.

"An' how come yeh didn't tell yer ol' pal Hagrid, Hermione? Didn' yeh think I'd understan'?"

"Hagrid, what on earth are you talking about? I told you that day when Ginny and I came to visit back in September. The same day we told you Harry and Ron weren't here."

"All yeh said was that he wasn' a bad guy, Hermione. Yeh never said yeh were goin' aroun' kissin' him or nothin'."

Draco walked back over to Hermione, sensing that Hagrid wouldn't touch him. "It's true, Hagrid. I love her with all my heart."

"Yeh really are differen' this year aren' yeh boy?"

"I guess I am, yeah."

"An' you, Hermione? Do yeh feel that way as well?"

"Do I love him?" Her eyes met Draco's and they smiled at each other while Hagrid nodded. "Yeah, Hagrid. I really do love him…a lot."

Draco put his arm around her and Hermione returned the gesture. Hagrid smiled. "Well, then, Hermione. I'm happy for yeh."

"Thanks, Hagrid." Hermione reached up and hugged him, her arms barely stretching to his sides. She could have sworn she saw him wipe a tear from his eye.

Seeing this also, Draco said, "Don't worry, Hagrid. I would never do anything to hurt her. I've already received my threat from Ron."

"Yep. I wouldn' have been expectin' anything else from him or Harry." There wasn't a split second of silence when Hagrid said, "Wait. Yeh've been hearin' from Ron an' Harry?"

Hermione hadn't realized the slip until he said that. However, she recovered quickly. "We, er, got an anonymous owl that was clearly from them and I wrote back telling them about us, and a note was sent back in Ron's handwriting, saying Draco had better not hurt me or else."

Hagrid fell for the lie, anyway. "Oh, well if yeh hear from 'em again, give 'em my best. I'll be seein' yeh lot later."

"Right," Hermione said as Hagrid turned to walk away. She twisted back and Draco wrapped her in his arms once more. "That was close."

"No shit." He smiled and she smiled back. "Now, where were we?"

"Right about," she kissed him once, "here." As they kissed again with so much love in their hearts they thought they would burst, the snow fell even harder.

The Christmas holidays neared, and Hermione thought hard about what Draco would want for a gift. She considered the usual things, Quidditch accessories, a wand polishing kit, a book by his favorite author. But nothing seemed just right. She resolved to ask for a hint, or a dead giveaway, whichever he would offer. After a long day, they plopped down on the common room sofa and cuddled in one of their usual ways. This time, Draco was sitting normally, with his feet on the floor, and Hermione's head was across his lap as she lay on the couch. He was stroking her hair as he usually did. That was her favorite thing in the whole world, she decided, when he stroked her hair.

"Dray?"

"Hmm?" His eyes were closed, just feeling the warmth of the fire.

"What would you like for Christmas?"

"Oh, let me see." He pretended to ponder the question while really knowing the answer all along. "A new broomstick would be nice. The Firebolt Deluxe just came out last week." That, however, was not the real answer he had in mind.

"She slapped his knee. Seriously, you know I can't afford that."

"I know, Mione. That's not what I really want."

"Well, what _do_ you want, then?"

"To be with you."

She sat up and moved her butt onto his lap and laid her wrists over his shoulders, gripping her fingers of her right hand with her left. "Dray, you know I can't come to your house for the holidays, and I'm going to the Weasley's."

"I'm not going home," he answered.

"Hmm," she mused. "Well, I would stay here with you, but Mrs. Weasley's not doing so well with Ron being gone, and I need to be with Ginny because I know she won't give up the mirror. Something important could happen." She felt like she was ditching him for Harry and Ron and she didn't want it to come across that way, but she didn't know what else to do. She really did want to stay with Ginny. Somehow she knew he wouldn't be angry, though. And she was right.

"I understand. I knew I couldn't have what I wanted, but you asked, so I told you. After all, if I already knew you were staying, that Firebolt request wouldn't have been a joke."

She giggled and kissed him. "Maybe we can figure something out."

The next day she talked to Ginny about her idea. "So, do you think your mum would let Draco come? He's house-trained, I promise." Ginny laughed.

"Well, you know I've actually grown to be friends with him these past months, and I think Harry and Ron have, too. The thing is that Mum doesn't know about the two of you, yet."

"Will you write her?"

"I suppose I could do that." Ginny pulled out a piece of parchment along with a quill and a bottle of ink out of her bag. She pushed aside her breakfast plate on the table and began to write to Mrs. Weasley, explaining everything except the part about Lucius. "There," she said as she tied the ribbon around the scroll. "I'll give this to Pig on my way to class."

"Thanks, Ginny. I'll see you at dinner, okay?" Hermione gave her a quick hug and got up from the table. She tried not to notice Seamus glaring at her.

That night at dinner, Hermione and Ginny sat anxiously, thinking Mrs. Weasley's reply would never come. Ginny had told her mum to write back straight away. Suddenly, a small brown owl landed clumsily nearly knocking over the huge jug of pumpkin juice. Draco glanced over from the Slytherin table, noticing the commotion. He got up and walked over to the Gryffindor table where he was beginning to feel surprisingly welcome. Hermione was always hugely respected as a Gryffindor and it seemed that nearly everyone else trusted her judgment. "What's going on over here? I may have to take points off Gryffindor for the commotion," he joked.

Neither of the girls answered his question. Ginny read the letter while Hermione watched intently. "SHE SAID YES!"

"Who said yes?" Draco was really beginning to get curious.

Hermione turned around and squeezed him. "I guess you're getting your Christmas present after all. Ginny wrote to her mum asking if you could come to the Burrow for the holidays and she's agreed! She said they'd be happy to have you if it was important to me. Isn't that wonderful?"

Draco, however, didn't feel so wonderful about it. "I dunno, Mione. They've always hated me. I don't think they'll really want me intruding on their family holiday."

"Draco, she said you were welcome to come! Mrs. Weasley doesn't hide her feelings." Ginny nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, Malfoy," she said, "Mum wouldn't lie. If she didn't want you to come she would have said so. Hermione's part of the family and if she wants you there, everyone will. That's how the Weasleys work. We don't exclude people without good reason."

Draco's lips formed into a grin. "Well, if you're positive."

"We are," they said in unison.

The last week before holiday passed quickly. Hermione had picked out a real present on their last trip to Hogsmeade before break. She couldn't wait to spend the holiday at the Burrow. She was more than ready for everyone to see that Draco loved her and that he was a good guy.

They arrived at the Burrow on Christmas Eve at around 2:00 in the afternoon. Mrs. Weasley bustled out the door to greet them. "Ginny, dear! How was your first term?"

"Fine, Mum," she kissed her mother on the cheek and went inside.

"Hermione! How wonderful to see you. You're looking a bit peaky, dear. Dinner will be ready soon." She hugged Hermione and she stepped aside. Hermione saw Draco looking like he felt extremely awkward. She took his hand; a gesture not unnoticed my Molly Weasley.

"Mrs. Weasley, you know Draco Malfoy, don't you?"

To everyone's relief, she smiled. "Of course, dear, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks, Mrs. Weasley. Thanks for having me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate not going home for the holidays and still being able to spend them with Hermione."

"We're glad to have you, dear. Ginny tells me you've straightened out your priorities. And I also realize you were influenced by your father all these years. It wasn't your fault you grew up with that nonsense around you. You're always welcome here as long as Hermione wants you here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said kindly.

"Oh dear, you know you're part of our family. If it makes you happy he's most certainly welcome." She leaned over and whispered in Hermione's ear. "And I think I've got the men understanding, too." Hermione smiled. Then, she did something Hermione had neither hoped for nor expected Mrs. Weasley to do. She hugged Draco, and he hugged her back. Hermione could tell by the look on his face that he hadn't felt so welcome somewhere in a very long time, other than in Hermione's arms, and he was loving every minute of it.

As he hugged Mrs. Weasley, a woman whom his father had hurt many times, he thought, _this is what a real family must be like._ Once again he felt envious of Ron Weasley, and this time it had nothing to do with Hermione. He was envious of the loving family he grew up with. Draco would have traded all his money to have grown up in a household like this rather than the one he was accustomed to.

Hermione knew this would have been the best Christmas ever except for the fact that they were missing the two people who had made it possible for her to know this amazing family who called her a sister and daughter. Things wouldn't be right without Harry and Ron. But, at least they had the mirror.


	12. Chapter 12: Christmas at the Burrow

Author's Note: Hey! Once again, I'm posting these chapters really close together, so make sure you've read chapter eleven! REVIEW:

**Chapter Twelve**

**Christmas at the Burrow**

Hermione didn't even know how to begin to thank Mrs. Weasley for her understanding and kindness. She thought that deep down, maybe Mrs. Weasley suspected Draco was being horribly mistreated. Molly Weasley hated the Malfoy family, but here she was, hugging its only son because she, Hermione, trusted him and loved him. She had never felt like she was more a part of this family than she did right now. It was always Harry whom she thought Mrs. Weasley favored, but this proved her wrong indefinitely.

Mrs. Weasley let go of Draco and she tried to discreetly wipe a tear away from the corner of her eye with the dish towel that remained in her hand. Then she said, "Well, come on then, the family's waiting." She scooted up behind them and hurried them along.

They walked inside the kitchen entrance to the Burrow and it felt like time stopped completely. Everyone looked up from their various activities and stared at the two of them holding hands. The entire Weasley family was there, save for Ron of course, and Charlie who couldn't get out of Romania for the holidays, and also Percy who was apparently still avoiding his family.

As Hermione figured he would, Bill was the first to stand up and greet their guests. "Hermione, it's great to see you, kiddo."

"Thanks Bill, you too." She released his hug and turned to Draco. "Bill, this is Draco Malfoy."

The two men shook hands. Hermione knew Bill would be just as generous as his mother. "It's good to formally meet you, Draco."

Looking up to their older brother the way they did, Fred and George were next. "Hey, Malfoy," said George.

"Been snogging our Hermione, have you?" said Fred.

Hermione blushed furiously. "Guys!"

"Sorry, Hermione…" said Fred.

"…but we're just doing what Ginny said Ron wanted us to," said George.

Hermione looked at Ginny who was watching the scene with interested glee. "It's true! Ron told me to tell Fred and George to give him heck, but not too much so that you got upset."

"And we intend to do just that," said Fred.

"Not to worry, Hermione," said George. "We won't hurt him…"

"…too much," Fred finished.

Hermione couldn't help but crack a smile. This was classic Fred and George and if they were messing around, this wouldn't be so bad, after all. But when the twins moved she saw Mr. Weasley still sitting at the end of the table. He hadn't moved since they walked in, nor had he said anything. Her stomach lurched at the thought of Mr. Weasley hating her for letting a Malfoy take the place in her heart that everyone thought his son would have. Not to mention the fact that Arthur Weasley seemed to hate the Malfoy's with so much more vigor, and with a good reason having worked at the Ministry with Lucius.

"Arthur, dear," Mrs. Weasley said after a moment of wretchedly awful silence.

"Daddy," Ginny said. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Still, Mr. Weasley was silent. Hermione let go of Draco's hand and walked over to take the seat Fred had occupied a few moments earlier to Mr. Weasley's left. In the meantime, Fleur, the newest Weasley, went over to talk to Draco. They were able to relate, because Mrs. Weasley had once disliked her, too.

Hermione sat down in the chair. "Mr. Weasley," she started, "I know you don't like the Malfoys. In fact, you loathe them, and I understand that, but Draco's changed, Mr. Weasley."

Mr. Weasley looked up at her. "How can you be sure, Hermione, and what about Ron? I thought for sure something was going on with the two of you."

"Well, I thought so too," she answered quietly. "But he's not here, Mr. Weasley, and to say the least, things would have been difficult. He told me to move on. Please don't hate Draco because he's not Ron."

Mr. Weasley eased up at the way she read his thoughts. At least she seemed to understand where at least part of his unease lay. "You're right, Hermione, and I'm sorry, but look at who his father is."

"I know perfectly well who his father is, Mr. Weasley…and so does he."

All of this was being said in a whisper while everyone else continued what they were doing before. Mr. Weasley was chopping potatoes while Fred and George helped Ginny put up decorations. They, of course, used magic to reach the high spots. Bill and Fleur went outside to de-gnome the garden. Hermione assumed Draco had gone to help with that.

Mr. Weasley looked Hermione right in the eye. "What do you mean, 'so does he?'"

"I mean, Draco has seen his father's true colors and realizes they're not pretty."

"He's done something to his own son?" Mr. Weasley looked highly concerned.

"In a matter of speaking, yes." Mr. Weasley looked like he was about to get up and take action when Hermione took his wrist and said, "But you mustn't tell anyone, Mr. Weasley. If you do, Draco could seriously get hurt. We have to go about this in a much softer way."

"Can you tell me what's been going on?"

"Not just yet, but in time you'll know."

"Very well." Mr. Weasley sighed and his expression softened. "So you love this kid, hmm, dear?"

Hermione smiled despite herself. "Yes, I do. I really do."

"He can be trusted, yes?"

"Oh, yes. Ginny trusts him." She leaned in closer. "And so do Harry and Ron."

"Harry and Ron? You've spoken to them, Hermione?"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley knows about it and Ginny has spoken to them, too."

"My wife knows?" Mr. Weasley pondered this for a moment. "Ah, it must be the mirror."

"Yes, the mirror. We went to Hogsmeade and Aberforth Dumbledore told us Mrs. Weasley asked him to keep an eye on them. But when we used the mirror he saw how emotional Ginny and Harry got and he let us keep it."

Mr. Weasley cracked a grin at the thought of how much Harry loved his daughter. He couldn't have been happier that Ginny found someone to take care of her at such a young age. It was because of this that Mr. Weasley prayed even harder that Harry and Ron stay safe.

"How is my daughter doing without Harry?"

"I think she's much better now that she can speak with him whenever. Before that it wasn't pretty. You remember from summer. Well, it was like that, but now she sleeps, at least. She's eating well, too."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it." He took a deep breath. "You know, Hermione, that we care just as much about your happiness as Ginny's." Hermione smiled. "Does Draco make you happy?"

"I'm happier around him than I ever remember feeling." Hermione thought she would burst with happiness just thinking about it.

"I guess that's that, then." Mr. Weasley smiled and hugged Hermione in the same way her father always did. She hoped her parents weren't too sad that she didn't come home for the holidays, but all of this made her glad she was at the Burrow.

Mr. Weasley got up and went outside. Hermione went over to the window where Ginny was standing on a chair hanging holly. She looked outside. "You know, Gin, I think this is going to turn out just fine."

Ginny looked outside, too. Mr. Weasley was shaking Draco's hand with the other hand on the young man's shoulder. Draco was smiling and that could never be a bad thing. "I think so too, Hermione."

That night the whole lot of them sat around listening to Mrs. Weasley's favorite singer, Celestina Warbeck (Fleur volunteered to do the dishes) on the radio. Draco and Hermione were sitting nearest the fire. She was sitting between his legs and his arms were wrapped around her with his head on her shoulder. She looked around and felt really at home. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Ginny who would look over at them every now and then and get sad all of a sudden.

Ginny had the mirror in her lap, and about the third time she looked over at the lovebirds, she nearly missed Harry's face appearing in it. "Harry!" she shouted. Everyone turned their attention toward her. Mrs. Weasley turned off the radio and Fleur returned to the living room. They all gathered close to Ginny who moved to the floor. Someone looking in the window would have thought they were looking for a missing earring by the way they were looking at the mirror that had been placed on the floor for all to see.

"Happy Christmas, everyone! Just curious, though. Is Malfoy still alive?" They all laughed, including Malfoy.

"I'm fine, Potter. It's great here."

"Harry, dear, it's so good to see you. Where's Ron?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"He's here." Harry motioned to the side and Ron's face appeared in the framed glass.

"Hello, Mum. Happy Christmas."

"Same to you, dear."

"How's everyone doing?" Ron asked. "Fleur, been keeping Bill under control?"

"Oh, yes. Zings are seemply vonderful."

"Glad to hear it. Fred, George…how's the business?"

"Good, little brother," said George.

"We got a new line in last week," said Fred. "Let us know if you have a pesky roommate. We'll take care of it."

"Good to know, thanks." Ron laughed. It was obvious how much he missed his family. Hermione looked over at Ginny and reached over to rub her back. She was crying the same way she did every time she talked in the mirror.

"Ginny," Harry said. Everyone got quiet and realized for the first time in their excitement to see Harry and Ron that their little sister had tears streaming down her face. Harry, apparently, had had his eye on her the whole time. "Ginny, don't cry. It'll all be over soon.

"Not soon enough," she sniffled. "I miss you." Her voice was barely a whisper, now.

"We're going as fast as we can, Ginny. This is important. You know that."

"I know." Her words came between heaving sobs now.

Hermione could see Harry was trying to be strong for Ginny but his glasses were fogging up. He cleared them off as he said, "Ginny, you've never been like this when you talked to me before. What's up?"

"I don't know, Harry. I guess it's just the holidays or something." She took a shaky breath. "I bought you a present, you know."

"You did?" Neither of them seemed to notice the nine other people watching them.

"I did. But I'm not going to tell you. I'll give it to you when you come back to me."

"Fair enough, but I have no way right now of getting you anything."

"Harry, you know what I want. Just you…alive."

"Well, I'll do my best." He smiled and wiped away a tear that snuck up on him. "Hermione…"

"Yeah, Harry, what is it?" Hermione wiped away a shed tear of her own.

"Rowina Ravenclaw."

"What?"

"You heard me. Think about it."

Then Ron said, "Harry, we have to go. It was really great to see you all."

"We love you, Ron," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I love you all, too." He eyed Hermione and gave her a half grin before going beyond the vision of the mirror.

"Enjoy the rest of your holiday, everyone. I love you all, as well."

"Goodnight, Harry," Mr. Weasley said.

"We love you, Harry. Be safe," Mrs. Weasley finished, "and it was great to hear from you."

"Goodnight," Harry said. Everyone turned away and Mrs. Weasley turned the radio back on.

Ginny cried silently and the mirror hung loosely in her hands. Was that all she got, was the same general goodbye as everyone else?

"Ginny." She looked around. No one was talking to her. "_Ginny_." She flipped the mirror back over. It was Harry. She smiled. "I'm still here, Ginny. Did you think I would leave without saying goodbye to you specially?"

"Of course not," Ginny lied. Harry gave her a disbelieving look. "Okay," she confessed, "I thought you left."

"Ginevra Weasley, don't you know I would never do that?"

"Sorry."

"Well, anyway, Ginny. You'll get your Christmas present, and I can't wait to see what mine is."

"When will I see you?"

"I'm not sure, really. We've already destroyed the diary Horcrux, as you know."

"The diary was one of the pieces? Horcruxes are what they're called?"

"Yeah." Harry felt it was okay to let her in on as much as Hermione knew. Maybe she could be of some help with the job he gave Hermione. "Horcruxes are pieces of his soul that he put into objects when he killed people."

"Like, preserving his life?"

"Exactly, and part of it was the memory in the diary. The only problem is that we don't know how to destroy them when we find them."

"Well, let's think for a minute." Ginny tried to think up some possible way. She moved upstairs to her bedroom where they couldn't be heard. She would fill Hermione in later when Draco wasn't around. "You destroyed the diary with the basilisk fang. Can't you just stab them with anything?"

"No, I don't think so. There are certain things you have to use to destroy a Horcrux. They're the Darkest magic there is. Basilisk venom is one of the things, but we don't have any fangs here. The other is a specific type of fire, but it's incredibly dangerous to conjure. Too dangerous."

"Hmm," Ginny considered things for a moment. "Harry, what about the sword?"

"Gryffindor's sword?"

"Yeah, it should have basilisk venom on it from when you killed it."

"Ginny! That's brilliant!"

"I know." They both laughed and it felt so good. Neither of them had laughed in ages.

"But anyway, how can I get the sword? Fawkes isn't around anymore now that Dumbledore's dead."

"No, but it's in his office and Hermione knows the password."

"That helps, but how could you get it to me?"

"Maybe it doesn't have to be me. I don't know, Harry. I'll try to figure something out. You just have to trust me."

"I trust you completely. Just hurry."

"Okay, but what was with that clue you gave Hermione?"

"Rowina Ravenclaw is the only Hogwarts founder that we're not sure if there are any Horcruxes made out of her possessions. All the other founders have one except Gryffindor, but the only thing of his is the sword and that's safe."

"I'll tell her, then."

"Thanks. I just couldn't say anything more than her name with everyone else around. Ginny, I have to go."

"Okay. I love you, Harry. God, that never sounds like enough."

"I know, Ginny, but it's the best we can do right now. I love you, my beautiful girl. Bye Ginny."

"Don't say goodbye. It sounds so final. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, I'll see you later." He smiled and they both put the mirror away.

Everyone slept well that night, and when they were at breakfast the next morning, Ginny asked Hermione to speak to her alone for a moment.

When they were alone she said, "I know what the Rowina Ravenclaw thing was about. Harry told me everything like exactly what they're looking for and everything."

"Well, what is it?"

Ginny explained everything to her and Harry discussed the night before including the bit about Gryffindor's sword and that they needed to find a Horcrux that once belonged to Rowina Ravenclaw.

"That sounds doable," Hermione said. "We'll talk to Dumbledore when we get back to Hogwarts."

"That's what I was thinking," Ginny agreed.

The girls went back into the kitchen where everyone was cleaning up.

"We're about ready to open gifts, girls," Mrs. Weasley announced.

They all went into the living room and Hermione and Draco sat the same way they did the night before. It was great to feel so comfortable with him.

Draco was incredibly surprised when he received another present other than the one from Hermione. The tag read, "To: Draco. From: The Weasleys." Inside was a pair of green gloves that Mrs. Weasley knitted for him. They had little white "D's" on the tops. He noticed that they were just like those horrible sweaters the Weasley children received every year, along with Harry and Hermione. Hermione beamed at the gesture as she opened her own sweater. As ugly as the gloves were, Draco loved them.

"Thank you so much," he said to Mrs. Weasley.

"You're quite welcome, dear."

"Who knows…" said George.

"…maybe someday you'll work your way up to a sweater," said Fred, winking.

The Weasley's laughed, Mrs. Weasley not seeming to understand what was so funny.

Draco and Hermione saved their gifts from each other for last and opened them away from everyone else. Hermione pulled hers out of its wrapping. In her hand she held a rectangular box. Draco took it from her and opened it for her to see. Inside was a silver necklace with a ring attached to it. The ring didn't have a stone. It was just a plain silver ring, but beautiful nonetheless. "Draco, it's amazing."

"Look closer." She looked at him curiously, then picked up the ring to look closer. Engraved on the inside were the words, "Never let go. Draco + Hermione." The words she said to him during the first snowfall when they were holding each other close.

She looked up at him. "Draco, I don't even know what to say. Thank you so much."

He took it out of the box to help her put it on. Then, he picked up the ring off her chest. "If, someday, we decide to make our relationship permanent, this ring will get a diamond added to it and become your engagement ring." He looked at the tears in her eyes, knowing they were happy tears. "I know it all seems really soon, but, Hermione I feel like we've already been through so much and I can't see myself with anyone else…ever."

"Me neither. I love you, Dray."

"I love you too, Mione." He put his hand behind her head and kissed her. She cuddled up close to him and told him to open her present.

He took the package and started to tear it open. What was inside left him speechless for a moment. It was a framed picture of him and Hermione from one evening when they were hanging out with Ginny in their common room. They were on the couch in their other favorite position. Draco was sitting normally, like always, but this time, Hermione's butt was just to the left of his lap, with her legs draped over his. Her arms were wrapped around his stomach and his around hers. Hermione's head was tilted back in laughter while he looked at her with the most obvious affection in his eyes and then she kissed him on the cheek and the action was repeated over and over. Draco had never known that Ginny took a picture of that. On the bottom of the frame were the words, "Your love makes me happier than I ever thought I could be."

"Hermione…" he finally said. "I don't know what to say. I guess I never knew that such a small gesture could mean so much. I understand why Ginny carries that photo of her and Harry around all the time, now."

"I know, I do too." She leaned her head back onto his chest and closed her eyes. They just stayed like that until Mrs. Weasley announced dinner a couple of hours later.

The rest of the holiday was spent in laughter and love from everyone at the Burrow. Hermione could tell that everyone was actually becoming rather fond of Draco, and that he would always be welcome. He had done a better than satisfactory job of convincing them that he was nothing like his father.

The day finally came for them to go back to Hogwarts. Hermione, Ginny and Draco were on the Platform 9 ¾ saying goodbye to the Weasleys. Then came the voice that Draco never expected to hear at that moment.

"Hello, Draco."

Draco turned around to see his father standing there with Crabbe and Goyle, both senior and junior of those names.


	13. Chapter 13: The Search for Ravenclaw

Author's Note: Once again, guys! Really close to the last two chapters! Did you read eleven and twelve? (I was on a roll of good ideas and couldn't stop just fyi!) REVIEW!! Pretty please with sugar on top? C'mon…I asked nicely!

**Chapter Thirteen**

**The Search for Ravenclaw**

"What are you doing here, Father?"

"Would you believe that I wanted to make sure you got off safely since we didn't see you at all over your holiday break?" Lucius asked in his familiar cold voice.

"No, I wouldn't."

"That's too bad. I see you've got yourself a Mudblood girlfriend." Lucius jerked his head toward Hermione. Draco grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight.

"Do not speak to her that way."

Lucius moved closer. So no one but Draco or Hermione could hear, he said, "You never had a problem with it before, Draco, and let me tell you: you are not finished with the work you've started for the Death Eaters."

Lucius turned to go, intending for that to be the end of their conversation. He never expected Draco to refuse. "Want to make a bet on that, Father?"

"You wish to disobey me? Tisk, tisk, Draco. That's not the best idea. You'll be sorry, and so will your Mudblood whore." Draco's hand went for his wand, but Hermione stopped him.

"He's not worth it, Draco." Draco let go of his wand, not wanting to upset Hermione further.

Lucius, however, had more plans than just threats. He pulled out his wand and before anyone could react they heard, "_Stupefy!"_ It was obvious that he didn't shout the spell when he crumpled to the ground.

Not wasting time to see their rescuer, Draco and Hermione pulled out their wands to disarm the Crabbe and Goyle families. When that was over, Hermione turned around and spotted the only person with a drawn wand that wasn't a Weasley or Draco.

"Seamus…thank you."

"Well, when Malfoy's dad pulled a wand on his own son, I figured maybe Blondie here has changed. I'm sorry I was such an arse, Hermione."

"Apology accepted," Hermione said.

"Malfoy, well, I guess I want to apologize to you, too."

"No, Finnigan, you had every right not to trust me after the jerk I've been. I apologize also."

Lucius came out of his stupefied state and walked over to where his son stood. "It's not over, Mudblood." Draco pulled Hermione closer as Lucius walked off.

"I suppose we'd better get on the train, hmm?" Hermione asked. Draco kissed her head, appreciating the change of subject.

The four students boarded the train and waved goodbye to the Weasleys. As Crabbe and Goyle passed their compartment, Malfoy scowled at them. They were followed by Pansy Parkinson who looked truly forlorn at the loss of a perfectly good Death Eater to be who turned his back on everything Voldemort stood for, not to mention her long-time crush.

When they arrived at school the first thing Hermione and Ginny did after unpacking was go see Dumbledore. They dashed down the corridors to the Headmaster's office. "Lacewing flies," Hermione nearly shouted at the stone gargoyle.

"Jeez, little lady, where's the fire?" the gargoyle asked as he jumped aside and they flew past him.

Hermione and Ginny stopped at the top and Ginny knocked on the door.

"Enter," said Professor Snape.

Hermione and Ginny walked through the door. "I should have known," he said. "What can I do for you?"

"We need to speak with Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said urgently.

"Did someone say my name?" Dumbledore sauntered into his portrait.

"Professor!" Hermione said. "I'm glad you're here."

"What is it, Hermione?"

"We spoke to Harry and Ron this holiday, and Harry said something about Rowena Ravenclaw."

"Ah, yes, I've considered that notion. However, I have been unsuccessful in finding anything related to her that would have been available for the making of a Horcrux."

Hermione looked thoroughly dejected at this news. However, being the Gryffindor she was, she wouldn't give up. She kept that to herself for the time being. "There's one more thing," Ginny said.

"What's that, Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.

"Harry needs a way to destroy the one he has."

"Which one is that, Ginny?" Dumbledore moved to the edge of his seat, clearly excited that Harry and Ron had been having success.

"The locket."

"But the one I managed to get from the bowl on the lake was a fake," Dumbledore mused to himself.

"Sir, they figured out what the initials on the note meant," said Hermione. "The locket belonged to Regulus Black, and Kreacher said he gave it to Umbridge, so Harry and Ron found a way to get it back. They just need a way to destroy it."

"Would the sword work, Professor?" Ginny looked at the sword that was displayed in the glass case in the office.

"I believe that it should, yes. I used it on the Gaunt family ring."

"The what?" Ginny asked.

"Never mind, dear," said Dumbledore. "Yes, I was hoping they would figure out to use the sword."

"You've known all along that it would work and you never gave it to Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I believed that they could figure it out on their own."

"Actually, Professor, it was Ginny's idea to use the sword. Harry and Ron forgot it had basilisk venom on it."

"Well done, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore complemented her. "Severus, you must find a way to get that sword to Harry and Ron."

"Yes, Albus, I'll figure something out."

"You all must never tell them how they got that sword for safety reasons."

"But they'll know we had something to do with it."

"That's fine, Ginny, but you can't tell them specifically how it got there, am I understood?"

"Yes, Professor," Hermione and Ginny chimed.

"Professors," came a voice from another portrait.

"Yes, Phineas? What is it?" asked Snape.

"I've found them. They're in the Forest of Dean." Harry and Ron had taken the other portrait of Phineas from Grimmauld Place and he was now keeping an eye on them.

"I'm on it," said Snape. He walked right past the glass case that held the sword and over to a portrait on the wall. He pulled the portrait open like a cupboard and Hermione and Ginny saw a safe behind it. Snape tapped it once with his wand and it opened. He pulled out another sword.

"This is why you can't tell them where they got the sword, understand?"

"Yes," they chimed again.

Without further ado, Severus Snape put on his traveling cloak and hurried out the door.

Hermione turned to Dumbledore. "Thank you, Professor."

"Not a problem in the slightest, girls. It was really the plan all along."

Hermione and Ginny said their goodbyes and hurried out of the office.

"Now what?" Ginny asked when they were walking down the corridor.

"We find Rowena Ravenclaw's possession. I think it's in the school somewhere."

Hermione couldn't believe her luck as just the person she was looking for walked by. "Luna! Could we speak to you?"

Hermione and Ginny escorted Luna back to the Head common room where they found Draco doing an essay by the fire.

"Hello, Draco." Luna had never seemed phased by a Slytherin.

"Lovegood."

Hermione went over and kissed him hello. "We'll be upstairs if you need me."

"I need you right now," he smiled mischievously.

"Well, that will have to wait until later," she promised.

The three girls were all upstairs sitting on Hermione's bed a couple minutes later. "What's going on? Is it the nargles?" Luna asked innocently. Once again Hermione tried incredibly hard not to laugh.

"Actually, Luna, we were wondering if you knew of anything that represents Rowena Ravenclaw," Hermione told her. "You know, like any heir looms or anything."

"Well, there is the Lost Diadem," Luna suggested dreamily.

"What's that?"

"Well they say it belonged to her, but it mysteriously disappeared centuries ago. Why do you need it?"

"I'm just writing a paper about the founders," Hermione lied quickly. "A diadem is like a tiara, right?"

"Right."

Hermione had a feeling that that diadem was somewhere in Hogwarts and if Harry was going to come looking for it, Voldemort would be ready. "Luna," Hermione suddenly had an idea. "Do you still have your coin from the DA?"

"Of course, it's one of my prized possessions because it reminds me of my friends."

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other and smiled thoughtfully. "Do you know if anyone else still has them?"

"I think just about everyone has kept them, why do you ask?"

"It's just that Harry and Ron might be in trouble in the near future and we'll need a plan to help them if that trouble comes here to Hogwarts."

"I'll let as many people know as I can."

"And Luna, make sure it stays a secret with Dumbledore's Army."

"I will, Hermione."

The three girls headed downstairs and Hermione showed them through the portrait hole. She went to join Draco on the couch and sat down next to him.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"It's fine, actually. I think we might actually be getting somewhere."

"Meaning Harry and Ron will be back soon?"

"Well, hopefully." Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder and eventually fell asleep. It had been a long day.

Hermione and Draco were more in love than ever, especially now that they felt like they had promised themselves to each other with their Christmas gifts. One day they were walking down the corridor after classes on the way to dinner. Hermione led him to the Room of Requirement. She put him to the side and she walked past it three times, wishing for a place to hide themselves for a bit.

The door opened and when they were sure that the coast was clear, they hurried inside and the door sealed itself behind them. They dropped their bags near the door and Draco pushed Hermione up against the wall, kissing her passionately. Hermione felt like she couldn't breathe as he slid his hands under her shirt and she wrapped her leg around his. He pulled her away from the wall and they walked, while still kissing. Had they taken time to notice where they were, they would have noticed that they were not the first ones to need a place to hide, and Draco would have noticed that he used the room the previous year.

As they made their way toward the benches that ran along the room like a cathedral, they got pushed up against another cabinet and a bust came tumbling down and something landed on top of Hermione's head. She broke away from their kiss at the crash and pulled the object off of her head. It was a tiara, no, a diadem. _The_ diadem. She knew it had to be, and she figured if it had been safe here for centuries, that it would continue to be that way for at least a few more weeks.

"What is that?" Draco asked.

"I'm not sure," Hermione answered. She felt awful lying to him, but it was necessary, and he'd know the truth when it was all over. She put the diadem back on top of the bust and replaced it to its home on the top of the cabinet. She laughed at the boa someone had placed around the bust's neck.

"Now that the moment's ruined…" Draco sighed.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Hermione couldn't stop wondering if that really was the diadem they were looking for.

"How about we continue this later?" he asked hopefully.

"Sounds good." She smiled and touched his face. "At least the spontaneity was fun while it lasted." She kissed him once more and they walked out of the room, gathering their things on the way out, and the room sealed behind them. Hermione told Draco she had to go to the library and that she was skipping dinner. When he told her he would accompany her, she didn't protest. She figured it couldn't hurt anyone. They got to the library and sat down at a table. Hermione wandered off to look for a book on the founders. There had never been anything in _Hogwarts, a History_. Finally she found one called _The Founders of Hogwarts: Three Friends and a Foe?_ and another called _Hogwarts Founders for Dummies_. She wondered silently if they made those books for everything. They were quite common in the Muggle world.

She went back to the table and picked up _Hogwarts Founders for Dummies_. She thumbed through the pages until she landed on one about Rowena Ravenclaw.

"Rowena Ravenclaw?" Draco asked. "Is this about whatever Harry asked for?"

"Yes." That was all she said, for she found a passage titled, "The Legend of the Lost Diadem," and next to it was a drawing of the exact diadem Hermione had just seen in the Room of Requirement.

Draco had apparently been looking at what she was reading again because he asked, "Hermione, is that the tiara that just fell on your head?"

"Mhmm," she answered him. He didn't ask anymore questions. Apparently he didn't want to know what Harry wanted with a tiara. He also knew that if he asked her what it was about she would say, "You'll see in time, Draco." That seemed to be her answer for everything related to what Harry and Ron were doing. He had given up on asking, now.

Hermione read the passage next to the picture of the diadem:

_The diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw has been lost for centuries. Historians have looked everywhere for it that she may have put it, and were never able to find it anywhere. It was said to make the wearer smarter. Ravenclaw's motto was: "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure." Rowena Ravenclaw never said her diadem was gone, but after her death and that of her daughter, Helena Ravenclaw, it was never seen again._

Well, whether or not it had been there all along, Hermione knew now where the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw was. "I have to go talk to Ginny. I'll bet she's in the Gryffindor common room." They got up to leave the library and Draco walked her to the Fat Lady.

"I'll see you later?" He kissed her enticingly on the lips.

"You bet," she said as he walked away.

She turned to the Fat Lady. "Lemon Drops."

"Thank you," the Fat Lady said as she swung forward to admit her. Hermione couldn't find Ginny. She asked another sixth year girl if she had seen her and the girl told Hermione that Ginny had been in her room for hours. Hermione went up the spiral staircase she had traveled up many times in the past six years and knocked on the door marked _Sixth Year Girls_.

"Ginny?"

"Hey, Hermione, want to talk to Harry and Ron?"

"Yes, actually, I do."

She walked over to the bed and lay down on her stomach the way Ginny was. "Hey, Harry."

"Hey, Hermione. What's going on?"

"I have information for you." She told him everything about the diadem and Rowena Ravenclaw and her daughter Helena.

"Helena Ravenclaw?" Ron walked up behind Harry as he asked about the name. "Isn't that the Gray Lady's real name?"

"Ronald! That's right! I remember reading that in _Hogwarts, a History_."

"Hermione," Harry said, "You have to find her and ask her right away if anyone else ever knew where that diadem was hidden. If she says anything about telling a handsome young man, it was probably You-Know-Who."

"Right, I'm on it." Hermione got up and left the room. She ran all the way to the West Tower hoping to find the Gray Lady near the Ravenclaw common room. On the way she saw Cho Chang. "Cho!" she called.

"Hello, Hermione. Have you heard from Harry lately?"

"This isn't about Harry." Hermione wondered how Cho had the nerve to ask her about Harry like she was still interested in him. Then she remembered that nobody was supposed to know that Ginny and Harry were back together. "But no, I haven't heard from him," she lied quickly. "Listen, I was wondering if you've seen the Gray Lady."

"I think I saw her a couple of minutes ago arguing with the Bloody Baron." Just then an angry young ghost who still had a very pretty face came flying around the corner. "There she is," Cho pointed out.

"Thanks," Hermione said, then ran to meet the Gray Lady. "Excuse me, Gray Lady." The ghost stopped flying and came to rest in front of Hermione.

"Yes? Can I help you with something?"

"Well first, are you okay? You look really angry."

"The Bloody Baron was just being rude. What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you where we can't be overheard." They moved into a corner where no one ever walked. Hermione proceeded to ask her about the diadem. "So," she finished, "I was just wondering if you ever opened up to anyone else about your mother's diadem."

"Why should I tell you any of this?" she asked.

"Because you would be helping to save the school your mother started, that's why." Hermione always did have a knack for persuading information out of people.

"Fine. Well, there was this young man about 50 years ago, give or take a few years. He was very handsome and persuaded me to tell him what happened to the diadem. So, I told him that it was hidden in the forest where the Bloody Baron killed me."

Hermione was so happy that she found a Horcrux that she didn't even take notice to the fact that the Bloody Baron killed the Gray Lady. She ran back to the Gryffindor common room and up the steps to the girls dormitory. Harry was still talking to Ginny and Hermione leapt onto the bed to tell him what had happened. "Well good, at least we know where it is. We can get it when we're ready," Harry replied. "Thank you, Hermione. You did a great job. I was just telling Ginny that we found the sword buried in a pond here last night. I followed some Patronus-looking doe to where it was hidden and we destroyed the locket. How did you manage to get it here?"

"Harry, that's great! But, it doesn't matter how it got there. All we did was tell Dumbledore you needed it." Hermione beamed despite that fact that she was wondering if Snape's Patronus was a doe, the friendliest of all animals.

"It's strange," Harry said, "Sirius once told me that my mother's Patronus was a doe." He didn't seem to think much of it, other than the fact that he probably wished that his mother had sent the Patronus leading him to where someone hid the sword. Harry was smart enough to know that wasn't possible, though.

Remembering Draco's plans, Hermione told Ginny and Harry that she would talk to them later and dashed off to the common room.

He was sitting waiting on the couch. "That took a while," he said.

"I'm so sorry, it really did take longer than I expected." She went over to where he was sitting and straddled his lap facing him. "Where were we?" she asked arousingly.

"Right about," he kissed her just once, but plunging his tongue in her mouth all the same, "there." He picked her up and kissed her all the way up the stairs to his bedroom.

When the reached the door she said, "Draco?"

"What?"

"Be rough with me."

"Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you."

"I'm not asking you to. Just…be naughtier." She kissed him deeply, running her fingers roughly through his hair.

He smiled, understanding her need to be bad. He had never thought he would hear Hermione Granger talk that way to him, but he liked it…a lot.

"You got it, babe." He flung the door open and threw her down on the bed. She took a deep breath. She knew he was going to do this exactly the way she wanted.

He flung himself down on top of her and kissed her before sitting up. He pulled off her skirt with such force that her hips were lifted off the bed. He slid his hands under the side of her panties and slid them down much slower than he pulled off the skirt, teasing her almost more than she could handle.

He ripped her shirt open, causing it to lose numerous buttons. As he removed her bra he kissed her with that same force that took her breath away and she slid her hands under his shirt. He pulled away before she could remove it. This was going to be purely for her for the time being. He tasted his way down her neck, placing his hands on her stomach as he reached her breasts. He kissed each of them and continued to work his way down her stomach.

He moved his thumbs in circles on her hips and she reacted by spreading her legs a little, which was his goal precisely. Draco kissed her hair which was surprisingly fine considering the bushy hair on her head. He sat up and put his hands under he knees, lifting them and separating them at the same time. He put one thumb on each side of her and rubbed them up and down on her outer lips, not entering her yet. She moaned then, and even louder when his mouth was finally on her and he tasted her, still moving his thumbs up and down. She wondered how he knew exactly what she wanted.

He backed away and let her watch as he unbuttoned his own shirt. Before he could go further, she reached up for his hands and pulled him down on top of her. She kissed him running her hands up and down his back rolling him over so she was on top. She took his hands and put them under his head, and pressed her lips to his ear. "Stay there," she whispered.

She worked her way down the same way he had, and she ripped his belt out of his pants and laid it aside. She pulled his pants and boxers down at the same time, exposing him completely. She picked up the belt and folded it in half. "I hear you've been naughty, Mr. Malfoy." She slapped him playfully on the abs with the belt. "You're going to have to be punished." Giving up the act, she smiled and tossed the belt across the room.

"I never knew you had that in you," he laughed.

"You know you liked it."

"It was fucking hot as hell. What's next?"

She ran her fingers down his stomach and when she reached his penis she took it in her hand. She glanced up at his face, but his eyes were closed, taking in what was about to happen. She started by just teasing him, kissing his tip, then moved her mouth over him completely. She made eye contact with him and he said, "Hermione…this is why I will never let go." She laughed and moved back to where his hands were still behind his head. He moved them and grabbed her upper arms forcing her back on the bottom. He held both of their hands above their heads and met her mouth forcefully, biting her bottom lip playfully every now and then.

He whispered in her ear. "Take me and do what you want with me." She felt him against her hip and he was ready for her. As per his instructions, she moved out from underneath him and rolled him over. She took him in her hand again as she moved over him and placed him inside her, not moving her hand away as she found the perfect spot and tilted her head back, crying out in pleasure. "I fucking love you, Draco Malfoy." They moved together in perfect rhythm, reading each other's every thought as people who are meant for each other tend to do. Their bodies molded together perfectly, again, like a puzzle. That puzzle was becoming easier and easier to frame even though the hard part was truly about to come. After they both came, she collapsed on top of him and fell asleep just like that within a couple of minutes. He laughed at her exhaustion and pulled a blanket over them and let her stay directly on top of him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, the necklace he gave her safely between them.


	14. Chapter 14: I Will Always Love You

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Once again, thanks for reading, and I'm really on a roll of good ideas that I don't want to forget about! Yeah, it's the weekend at college and I sat in my dorm room yesterday writing about 15 pages in Microsoft Word pretty much all day and here I go again on Sunday! Who needs a social life when you have Harry Potter?? Enjoy and REVIEW!

**Chapter Fourteen**

**I Will Always Love You**

The next morning they woke up in the exact same position. Hermione opened her eyes first and rolled over off of Draco causing him to wake up, too. "Good morning, Beautiful. How was your night?"

"Amazing. I haven't slept that well in ages. Yours?"

"It was wonderful…with you by my side."

"Well, maybe we should spend the night together more often," Hermione suggested somewhat timidly.

"Are you telling me you want me to make love to you every night? Not that I would object. I'm just wondering." He knew what she meant all along, but just thought it might be fun to ask.

"Not necessarily," she said. "I was just thinking that I like sleeping next to you, you know, like couples do who live together. They're just there every night and it doesn't always have to be about sex."

Draco wrapped his arm around her neck pulling her head down onto his chest and kissed the top of her head. "I think that's a brilliant idea," he agreed.

After that night they never slept in separate beds again. Sometimes the couch by the fire would suffice as sleeping grounds for the night, but usually it was Draco's bed. Sometimes they would stay up all hours into the night just talking and laughing. Other times they would just sit silently and read, but it wasn't awkward silence, it was just comfortable. On some occasions they would make love and it became more wonderful every time.

The weeks were passing and it felt as though January turned straight to March. It was now the end of March and Hermione was already preparing for N.E.W.T.s. Draco was actually beginning to worry more and more about his father's threat to Hermione and himself as well. "It's not over, Mudblood," he had said as they were boarding the train. Draco wondered every single day what the hell those words had meant and wondered even more why nothing had been done about them.

He did try not to let it bother him too much. He tried to focus on their upcoming trip to Hogsmeade that Saturday. It would probably be their last trip of their Hogwarts career and Draco intended to make it a special one for Hermione. It wasn't too often that he got the chance to spoil her as it was, being cooped up in Hogwarts 24/7.

Saturday morning came and the students with permission to go to Hogsmeade lined up by the main entrance to pass by Mr. Filch. Hermione took Draco's hand as they stepped out into the crisp air. It was the perfect weather. Not too cold, and not overly warm, just like the beginning of spring. It didn't feel like a thing could go wrong that day. They finally reached the front gates of Hogwarts and turned down the path to Hogsmeade. The first stop, as usual, was Honeyduke's candy shop. Hermione picked up some Acid Pops, thinking she could give them to Harry and Ron when they came home (which should be soon since they had informed her of locating, with difficulty no less, another Horcrux. They had found the cup of Helga Hufflepuff and had gone to Gringott's and broken into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault.). She also bought the usual: Fizzing Whizbees, Chocolate Frogs, Exploding Bon-Bons, and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. She left the Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans for a more "worthy" recipient, as she put it when Draco asked her if she wanted some.

The next stop on their agenda was supposed to be the Three Broomsticks, but that plan was put on hold when Seamus came out and informed them that Lucius was inside. Not wanting to bother with that confrontation, they walked down the street further to Hog's Head. They knew there wouldn't be any funny business with Aberforth keeping guard there, and they sat as close to the bar as possible. Three shared butterbeers later, they left the Hog's Head and decided to do some more shopping. "I wonder where Ginny is," Hermione inquired while they were browsing through clothing in another store.

"Didn't she say she was spending the day with Neville and Luna?"

"I know, but you'd think we would have seen her somewhere."

"It's pretty crowded, Mione, I'm sure we just missed her in all the people."

"I'm sure you're right." Deciding there was nothing in that store worth buying and seeing that it was getting late, they grasped hands and walked outside. It must have been later than they thought because the store closed up right behind them and most of the students from Hogwarts had already gone back to the castle.

As they were walking past a store with blacked out windows that must have been abandoned, therefore there were no crowds near it, Draco pulled Hermione aside and kissed her. She loved it when he surprised her like that and it always made the kiss that much more special. Just as she was starting to feel her knees give way, two large hands grabbed her from behind, wrenching her and Draco apart.

"Hermione!" he called. He was being pulled away by a large man in a hooded black cloak and the one carrying her followed the first into the abandoned store.

The two men stood next to one another and threw Draco and Hermione down onto the floor. They crawled toward each other and stood up. Draco grabbed her and held her as close to him as was humanly possible. Another Death Eater, a woman, locked the door behind them. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. She turned and eyed up their new visitors. "Hello, nephew."

"Aunt Bellatrix," he said coldly. "Where's my mum?"

"She wasn't cooperating," Bellatrix replied as she pointed toward the corner where a woman with long blonde hair lay immobile.

"What have you done to her?" Draco asked shakily.

"Do you honestly think I would kill my own sister, Draco?"

"I wouldn't put it past you."

"Touché, Draco, touché." Bellatrix smiled menacingly.

"And Lucius?" Draco asked, not bothering to call him his father. "Where is the bastard?"

Hermione looked up at him, half in shock, half extremely proud at the notion of Draco calling Lucius such a name.

"I'm here, Draco." Lucius walked out of the darkness at the back of the store. You didn't honestly believe that I wasn't, did you? I called everyone to this place." He looked at Hermione with disgust and Draco reacted by squeezing her shoulder, just to let her know that he was there for her. "Hello, Mudblood…"

"…YOU SHUT UP!" Draco shouted at his father.

"Oh, Draco, you're only making things worse, don't you see?"

Draco stopped shouting and just kissed the side of Hermione's head. Then he said into her ear, "I'm so sorry, love."

"We knew this would happen, Dray, it's okay. We'll get through it." When she said this she had assumed they were brought there so Draco could "rape" her in front of them the way he was forced to do with the other Muggle-borns.

Lucius, upon hearing all of this, laughed evilly. It was a laugh that would have gone perfectly with a crash of thunder in the background and a crack of lightning flashing through the sky. "Oh, you silly children seem to be under the impression that things are going to go the way they usually do when Draco is given a task." He grimaced and moved closer to where they were standing, huddled against each other. "You," he grazed Hermione's chin with the tip of his wand, "are terribly mistaken." He stepped back and walked around the room, his eyes never leaving the two of them. "You see," he continued, "not only is it a filthy Mudblood that needs to be punished this time, but both of you. Making you have sex with your little girlfriend wouldn't be bad enough for either of you, would it?"

"What are you planning?" Draco asked boldly.

"Oh, my son, you will soon see." He turned to the two large Death Eaters as Bellatrix cackled like the horrible wicked witch she was. "Crabbe, Goyle, restrain him and take his wand." On Lucius' command, Crabbe Sr. and Goyle Sr. wrenched Hermione and Draco apart once more, causing Hermione to be thrown to the floor in the process.

Lucius walked over to her and pushed her down with his foot, then stepped on her arm to keep her from getting up. Draco shouted from the side, "Don't hurt her! What do I have to do so you don't hurt her?"

"It's too late for you to do anything. You're just going to sit there and watch."

"Watch what?"

Lucius knelt down next to Hermione and put his wand down and took off his black cloak. "I'll be doing my son's job, today Mudblood," he whispered horribly. "It's not him that will be pleasuring you."

"NOOOOO! YOU SICK BASTARD!" Draco screamed as tears poured down his face.

Hermione, however, stood her ground. "If you think it will be pleasurable, you are highly mistaken, _sir_." She put a certain amount of bite on the last word.

"Feeling rebellious, Granger?"

"No, I just don't see how anyone could be pleasured by you."

"That's my girl," Draco whispered from the side, tears still running down his cheeks nonetheless.

"You've asked for it now." Lucius grabbed the button of her jeans and ripped it open with force and he pulled them down to her ankles. She tried to hit or kick him away, but Bellatrix bound her wrists together with a rope using her wand.

"STOP IT!" Draco screamed at the top of his lungs. "SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU, JUST STOP!"

"Oh no, dear boy, you've both earned this. You turned your back on the Dark Lord and this is how you will pay." He looked up at Crabbe and Goyle. "Make sure he watches."

Hermione could feel tears leaking out of her eyes now. She was through pretending to be strong, and she finally admitted to herself that she was scared out of her mind. She and Draco had always used protection, but what now? Surely Lucius wouldn't be so considerate.

He moved himself on top of her and put his hands under her shirt. She could hear Draco trying to scream and she could hear him sobbing. She had no way of getting to her wand. (As she thought about all this Lucius was unbuttoning his own pants.) Who on earth could save her now? Her underpants were being removed with force and she and Draco cried harder. Lucius was stroking himself getting ready. _This is it,_ she thought with terror. _There's no way out._ He was inches away from touching her skin that had only been touched before by the man she loved, and it was only ever touched with that same love.

Then, _"Levicorpus!_" Lucius was suspended upside down in the air, still poking embarrassingly out of his pants. With shouts of "_Stupefy!" _and _"Petrificus Totalus!_" Crabbe, Goyle, and Bellatrix were on the floor. Someone used another spell to set her hands free and she scrambled to pull up her pants while Draco flew over to her and wrapped her in his arms.

"Oh, God, Hermione, I'm so sorry." His wet face was soaking her hair as he rocked her back and forth in his lap.

"It's not your fault, Dray," she took his face in her hands and used her thumb to wipe away his tears. It didn't do any good, however, because they just kept coming. "I'm fine, though. I'm fine, he didn't touch me."

Their rescuer made their way over. "Sorry to break this up, but we've gotta get outta here. Let's go." Ron reached out a hand to help her up.

"Oh, Ronald!" She bolted up off the floor and hugged him. Her sobbing suddenly became completely uncontrolled and she was heaving tears onto his shoulder. "I'm so glad you're okay! Where's Harry?" She pulled away and wiped her face as Draco came up behind her.

"Right here, Hermione." Harry walked over from the door and she ran to him and hugged him just as tight as she hugged Ron. He was bruised and scarred. And now that she noticed it, so was Ron, who was shaking Draco's hand for the first time in his life.

"I can't believe both of you are here! Thanks for pulling that ass off of me."

"Forget it, Hermione, I'm just glad we got here in time," Ron said. "We heard screaming and ran over."

"How did the two of you get so beat up?" she asked.

"Dragon," they replied in unison. Not bothering with anymore questions Harry said, "C'mon, we've gotta get to Hogwarts." They dashed down the street as Harry explained that they had destroyed Hufflepuff's cup and that they discovered that Nagini, Voldemort's snake, was another Horcrux.

Suddenly, a door opened to their left and Aberforth Dumbledore ushered them inside of Hog's Head. "Hello, Potter, I'm glad to see you're all right."

"Aberforth Dumbledore? Nice to meet you." Harry said politely. "Er, you wouldn't have a way of getting us to Hogwarts would you?" Harry asked him on the off chance that he would know an easier way than running all the way back up to the castle.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Follow me, all of you." They took his lead up the same wooden stairs that Hermione and Ginny walked up months ago and into the same room with the blue carpet and the ratty old sofa. He went to the portrait that the mirror had once laid under and spoke to the pretty young girl in it. "Open the passage," was all he said.

"Ariana…" Harry whispered.

"You know of my sister?" the old man turned to Harry.

"Yes, sir, I've heard of her."

"Hmph," Aberforth grunted. Soon the girl was back and the portrait swung open.

Harry, Ron, Draco, and Hermione all used a chair as a lift and climbed up into the portrait hole. "Thank you, sir," said Harry.

"Don't mention it, boy." With that, Aberforth closed the portrait behind them and they all turned around to face a long tunnel.

"If this leads to Hogwarts I sure don't remember seeing it on the Marauder's Map," Harry said curiously.

"Harry," Hermione said slowly, "I remember something else you didn't see on the Marauder's Map, either."

"The Room of Requirement," Harry, Ron, and Hermione said together. They looked at each other with excitement and broke out into a run.

They reached the end of the tunnel where there was nothing but a cement wall. "Now what?" Draco asked.

"We think," Hermione replied.

"Hermione, we don't have time to think, do we?" he said.

"Not just about anything, Draco. If this really is the Room of Requirement that this tunnel leads to, we have to think about what we want within the room beyond the wall."

"Oh. Never mind, then."

"What exactly do we want?" Ron asked.

"Well," Harry said, "I'm not really sure. The diadem, I suppose."

"No, no," said Hermione. "We need backup before we go looking for the diadem." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the coin from the DA and rubbed it in between her thumb and index finger.

"Hermione, how can you expect them to still have those?" Harry asked.

"Because I asked them to earlier this year," she replied.

Harry and Ron beamed at her. "You are seriously the most brilliant witch, ever, Hermione," Ron mused. Draco, sensing that Ron was still in love with Hermione, reached for her hand and she obliged.

"It should be any minute now." They sat down at the end of the tunnel for about five minutes, hatching a plan for when they met up with the DA. Harry only put in a few words of suggestion. He had one thing on his mind. He really hoped Ginny had her coin.

When those five minutes were up, Hermione stood back up and paced the short distance in front of the cement wall back and forth. She thought over and over, "We need to meet the DA, we need to meet the DA." After she walked past the patch of wall three times, a wooden door appeared.

"Well, this is it. Draco, we'll go first," Hermione said, "to make sure the coast is clear for Harry and that there's no unwanted people in the room.

Harry and Ron stayed behind as Hermione opened the door a crack and slipped through, followed by Draco. She left the door open and Harry heard the most beautiful voice, "Hermione! What's going on, why did you use the coin?"

Harry didn't care anymore whether it was safe to go through the door or not. He pushed it open and stood there looking at the face he had longed to see for months. There she was, the girl he dreamed of touching every night since his birthday. "Ginny," he said quietly, unable to believe that she was really there. Ron snuck past him and walked over to greet Neville and Luna. Cho was standing somewhere on the other side of the room, watching somewhat sadly.

Ginny was in awe. He was there, and he was alive. Her only Christmas wish had come true. True, it was four months late, but here it was…here he was. "Harry." They ran towards each other and he picked her up and they spun in circles, kissing. He put her down and looked in her beautiful brown eyes, and she got lost in his brilliant green ones. He was really there, touching her hair, running his fingers through it. He missed that more than anything. He pressed her head to his heart.

"Ginny Weasley I will never, ever leave you again, I promise."

"Then you'll let me come with you to look for the diadem?"

"I don't see why not," he smiled and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Ginny."

"I love you, too." She kissed him, and as she did, she remembered something. "Harry," she said, pulling their lips apart.

"Hmm?"

"We're in the Room of Requirement."

"I know, isn't it brilliant? Having a secret passageway from the Hog's Head?"

"No, Harry, you don't understand. The diadem is in the Room of Requirement, too, just not this Room of Requirement."

"Oh, you're right." Harry understood. Everyone would have to clear the room so he could re-enter it and get the diadem. He stood up on the nearest chair and shouted over the voices.

"Hello, everyone! It's really great to see you all, and I want to thank you for volunteering to help. However, I need you all to clear the room so I can use it for another purpose. In the meantime, I want you all to get into groups of three or four, and split up to different areas of the school. I have a feeling it won't be long until the Death Eaters get here, and possibly You-Know-Who himself."

Everyone did as they were told and Harry hopped down from the stool. They all exited the room in groups except for Hermione, Ron, Draco, Ginny, and Harry. They stood just outside the room and Harry walked past three times thinking, "I need a place to hide, I need a place to hide."

The door revealed itself once more and they all entered the cathedral-like room. Hermione dragged Harry over to where she had seen the diadem. She pointed it out to him and all he could say was, "Oh my God."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I put the diadem on the bust last year, along with the boa so I would be able to find my Advanced Potions book."

"The Half-Blood Prince one?"

"That's the one." Harry reached up to the top of the cabinet and pulled the diadem off of the bust. He held it in his hands for a moment, realizing that after this, Nagini was the only remaining Horcrux. And, if things went the way he planned, he would have his chance at the snake in just a few hours. Before he had a chance to destroy the diadem, they were interrupted in the room by the not-so-junior versions of Crabbe and Goyle.

"Get out of here, guys," Draco said to them.

"Why should we listen to you, Mudblood fucker?" Goyle asked.

On that last word, Hermione and Ginny had to grab the arms of all three boys, Ron getting pulled by both arms. Then, Crabbe shouted some sort of spell and fire shot out of the end of his wand and Harry dropped the diadem, reaching for three brooms. The fire was transforming into a monster that looked like it was about to eat them. "It's Fiendfyre!" Hermione shouted. Harry tossed a broom to Ron and the other to Malfoy. Hermione climbed on behind Draco and Ginny did the same behind Harry and they took off out of the room. On the way, Harry dropped the diadem into the fire and it broke to pieces as it fell to the floor. He remembered that Fiendfyre was the other way to destroy Horcruxes besides basilisk venom.

Crabbe and Goyle tried to chase them out of the room, but Ginny pulled out her wand and cried, "_Reducto!_" and the shelves went toppling on top of Crabbe and Goyle, trapping them inside.

The five of them landed in the hallway outside. Harry kissed Ginny, "Are you okay, Gin?"

"I'm fine, Harry."

"Who taught you that curse, anyway?" he smiled.

"Oh, only the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher I've ever had." She reached up and brought him down to kiss her.

"Hate to break up the love fest," said Ron, causing the two to part, "but we've really got to get moving, here."

Then a voice came booming out of nowhere, and it was a voice that Harry wished he could say he didn't recognize. "HARRY POTTER, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE. YOU WILL COME OUT TO THE FOREST TONIGHT TO FACE ME ONCE AND FOR ALL. YOU HAVE ONE HOUR BEFORE WE START KILLING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY UNLESS YOU COME OUT HERE. THE BLOODSHED WE WISH TO SPARE WILL BE SACRIFICED IF YOU'RE NOT HERE BY MIDNIGHT."

Voldemort stopped talking and Harry turned to the rest of them, Ginny grasping his hand. "Harry, don't go."

"Gin, I have to. You know I can't sit here and let you all suffer so I can stay alive."

"Harry, no…" she started to cry and he pulled her into his chest. "You just came back I can't let go again, this time probably for good."

"I have to, Ginny." Then he told everyone what he and Ron had realized. "The reason he's never been able to hurt me was because my mother's blood was protecting me, and that's no longer possible now that I'm 17. Also," he hesitated on this next part, "my scar is a Horcrux and the only way for him to be finished is if I am, too."

"No, Harry. You can't, I don't care. You can't die." Ginny's face turned red as she got angry and tears peaked out from under her closed eyelids.

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "Ginny, look at me." She did and he said, "I love you so much, and if I didn't have to do this, I wouldn't. You have to be strong for me, and I need all of you to kill Voldemort for me. Just be careful."

"I love you too, Harry," Ginny sobbed. Harry couldn't control his own tears anymore and they wrestled their way out of his eyes and down from under his glasses. Hermione turned to Draco and buried her head in his chest. Ron stood looking extremely uncomfortable and torn at the thought of his best friend's death, with no one to comfort him. Hermione seemed to realize this, because she whispered in Draco's ear, "Ron needs a friend, too." He nodded and Ron was surprised when Hermione came and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you, Hermione."

"I still love you as a friend, Ron. Did you think that because I'm with Draco we can't be friends?"

"I don't know, maybe."

"That's ridiculous. You will always be my best friend, Ronald, and you saved me today."

He hugged her close as he realized how silly he'd been to think that she wouldn't want anything to do with him.

An hour later Harry left the heavy battle going on inside the school, having left Ginny in the common room. He was approaching the forest and he was thinking about the fact that he never got that snitch open. Then he realized, that he could only get what was inside if he was about to die. He put it to his lips and said, "I'm about to die," and the Gaunt family ring fell out, and out of it came his mother, his father, Sirius, and Lupin. He realized what Lupin's appearance must mean. "No," he said.

"Yes, Harry, I died this evening." Harry considered Tonks and realized that that must be how Ginny would feel. He changed the subject, not wanting to think about it.

"Is it painful?" he asked all of them.

"No, dear," Lily answered. "It doesn't hurt to die. We're so proud of you, Harry. You're doing the right thing."

"I just wish Ginny saw it that way."

"As much as it will hurt her to lose you," James said, "she understands why you have to do it."

He asked them to accompany him to the clearing where he was to face Voldemort, and they obliged. He carried the ring all the way into the forest before saying his goodbyes because he realized that he needed to do this by himself.

"Hello, Tom."


	15. Chapter 15: The Battle

**Chapter Fifteen**

**The Battle**

Meanwhile, back in the common room, Ginny was pacing incessantly. Hermione and Draco (who was allowed to be in Gryffindor's common room because he was Head Boy) were sitting silently on the couch, tears rolling nonchalantly down Hermione's cheeks. Ron sat on the armchair with his face buried in his hands. It hadn't hit any of them completely that Harry was about to die. They would never see him again.

Their goodbyes were incredibly tearful. Even Draco looked extremely uneasy about the whole thing. Hermione could have sworn she saw wetness mounting in the corners of his eyes, but he would never admit it, so she didn't ask. Hermione had kissed him on the cheek and thanked him for always being such an amazing friend, unable to say much more because she kept choking on her words. Ron broke down and bawled in front of his best friend for the first time in his life and the two hugged like the brothers that they were. He told him so Ginny couldn't hear that he wished they could have been brother in-laws. Harry told him that they would have been, and that was proven by the ring he gave to Ginny during their goodbye.

They had gone to a separate part of the room where she sat cuddled against him. "Harry, you really can't be leaving me."

"I have to Gin, believe me I wish it could have been different."

"It can be, Harry, we'll fight for you."

"Ginny, you don't understand. In order for Voldemort to die, I have to as well." She started to cry, knowing it was true and there was nothing she could do about it.

He had then pulled a small box out of his pocket and gave it to her. She opened it with a quizzical expression. Inside was the most beautiful diamond she had ever seen. "I found that," Harry told her.

"You found it?" Ginny looked almost offended. He gave her a ring he found on the street somewhere?

"Yes, I found it. In Godric's Hollow." Harry took it out of the box and put it on her right hand ring finger. "When we were in Godric's Hollow, I had no idea that I was going to die."

"What does that have to do with this ring?"

"We walked past a jewelry store, and I told Ron that we should stop in later so I could buy you a ring. We were on a mission at the time."

"Harry…"

"Just listen," he stopped her. "I wanted to propose to you when we got back, Ginny. I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life." He stopped and took her hand. "So, even though I'm leaving you, I wanted you to know that I did want to spend the reset of my life with you." He smiled and said, "I guess I have, actually."

"That's not funny, Harry. But, what do you mean you found the ring if you were planning on going to go to the jewelry store?"

"Well, we saw my parents' house. It was still standing and there was a memorial outside of it. Ron tried to push the gate open and it wouldn't budge. He tried to jump over it and got thrown backwards. I decided to try going through the gate, just to prove to myself that it wasn't possible, but then when I touched it, it gave way. It was like someone had enchanted it so that only I could get through if I really wanted to. I did and let Ron follow me, through."

"And you went in?" she asked.

"We did, and we closed the gate behind us. So, when we were inside, I went up to the room that I assumed was my parents'. It was still exactly the way they had left it, only dustier. I went over to look at my mother's dresser…"

"…Harry," Ginny interrupted him.

"Yes, Ginny, that ring was my mother's engagement ring, and I want you to have it. I know that's what she would have wanted, too. In fact, I think that if she were alive, she would have given it to me when I fell in love with you."

"Really?" she had asked him.

"Yes, really. I know my parents would love you just as much as I do."

Now Harry was gone. He had left her forever. "Ginny," Hermione interrupted her memory of the happenings of two hours ago.

"Hermione, he's going to live. I have this feeling in my gut, I don't know. I just know he can't die."

"Ginny, no," Ron got up from the chair, his face streaked with tears. "He's gone, Ginny. He's not coming back."

"I won't believe it until I see it, Ronald Weasley. You can't tell me that you two honestly believe that he's really going to give up on Voldemort that easily."

Hermione looked at Ron. "We do, Ginny. It's the only option he has. You heard him when he said that if there was any other way he would do it."

Ginny turned away and said, "I still won't believe it until I see it. The only reason I'm still in this common room is so that I know I'll be alive when he gets back."

"GINNY, STOP KIDDING YOURSELF! THERE'S NO WAY!"

"Don't yell at her, Ron. That's the last thing she needs."

"And the last thing I need is to have her denying it, Hermione!"

"Could everyone stop yelling, please?" Draco suddenly spoke up and everyone looked at him in shock that he had actually said something. "You two don't know Ginny's wrong," he said to Hermione and Ron. Then to Ginny, in a softer voice that Ron had never realized Draco Malfoy was capable of, "And Ginny, maybe you just shouldn't get your hopes up, okay?"

"Fine, whatever," Ginny went back to pacing.

Hermione went over to Draco and sat down next to him and took his hand. "Thank you. It's nice to have someone neutral to settle the dispute."

"It's not that I want Harry to die, it's just that I have no clue what will happen, so it's easier to see it from both points of view."

"Well, you weren't close to him, to say the least. I guess that probably makes it easier to stay calm. We're all pretty freaked out right now."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek and they just sat like that. Hermione saw Ron look at them out of the corner of her eye, so she adjusted her head so she could see him properly. When he saw her looking, he smiled. It was his own way of giving approval of her relationship with Draco. She smiled back and mouthed, "Thank you." He nodded at her and went back to staring at the fire. Hermione closed her eyes and rested her head back on Draco's chest.

Hermione wasn't sure how long they had been like that when she heard a _BANG!_ come from somewhere in the corridor. They all got up at once and hurried out of the common room. They went downstairs to see everyone walking out onto the grounds. Was the battle over?

They ran down to the entrance hall and moved their way out to the front of the crowd. Ginny could see Hagrid. What was he holding? Then they head that awful voice again. Voldemort was standing next to Hagrid. That could only mean one thing. "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him…" that had to be a lie, Ginny thought, Harry wouldn't run. "We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

Ginny's world started spinning. It was like she was five years old back at the Burrow, spinning around and around watching the same scenes flash before her eyes. She spun faster and faster until her mother's screams couldn't stop her. And there was no one there when she did stop. She always came crashing down to the ground, laughing uncontrollably. Only this time, she was standing still and her brain was spinning, and she wasn't laughing, she was crying uncontrollably. She was shaking with tears. There was no one there to catch her now because Harry would have caught her. She knew he would always have caught her, but he wasn't here now. Now she could feel herself falling to the ground, literally falling, and she didn't try to remain standing. She closed her eyes and sunk. She was going to hit the ground any second…but she didn't. She fell into someone's arms. She couldn't see her rescuer, but knew someone was there.

She tried to sit up, and still she couldn't see anyone. "Who's there?"

To her surprise, she was answered. "Shh, Ginny."

"Harry…" she whispered.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear before running off.

Ginny turned and stood up. Somehow she was able to, now. Her Harry was alive. She had to find him and make sure it stayed that way. She didn't even notice that to her left, Neville was busy cutting off the head of Voldemort's snake, Nagini. She looked in the direction she felt Harry run. She could see imprints on the grass heading towards the castle. She followed him, ignoring Hermione when she shouted, "Ginny! Ginny, where are you going?" She kept running and didn't stop. Where had he gone? She couldn't find him. She panicked and ran all around the Great Hall, stopping when she saw Fred lying next to Lupin. How was it possible that she had missed it?

"Fred! Fred, wake up!" She shook him. This wasn't happening. Is this what had to happen so she could have Harry back? Did she have to lose a brother? Was it really even Harry that saved her from falling? "Fred, please!" Why hadn't anyone told her that Fred was dead? Did Ron know? He had been with her in the common room. When Fred didn't move, she threw herself down over him and began to weep. Her little body heaved with the giant sobs.

"Ginny…" Hermione had walked into the Great Hall. She stopped mid-sentence when she saw who Ginny was lying over. "Oh, no…not…"

"Yes, Hermione, Fred's dead too! Voldemort's going to pay! We have to kill him like Harry asked, c'mon." Ginny got up and was about to run out of the Great Hall when everyone from outside came rushing in.

Wands started flying and Ginny, Hermione, Draco, and Ron jumped in to fight. Ginny and Hermione got into an intense duel with Bellatrix Lestrange, and weaved in and out of spells as she shouted a few of her own, each one being dodged as well. An Avada Kedavra curse flew past Ginny's ear. Then…"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" and Mrs. Weasley flew towards the scene. She began to duel Bellatrix by herself. Bellatrix taunted her with evil words about how she was going to take Molly away from her children, and then she said the worst thing of all. She threw Fred's death back in her face. That was the last straw for Mrs. Weasley. A shot of green light flew from Mrs. Weasley's wand and hit Bellatrix over the heart. Ginny watched in horror as Voldemort turned and aimed his wand at Mrs. Weasley, wanting revenge for killing his best soldier.

What happened next nearly stopped Ginny's heart mid-beat. "_Protego!" _shouted Harry's voice, and he appeared out of nowhere as the Invisibility cloak slid off of him.

He was facing Voldemort. How was it that he was alive when Voldemort had told everyone he was dead? Ginny didn't care how it happened. She pressed her right hand bearing Lily Potter's ring to her heart. Harry was alive and he really would marry her one day. He had saved her mother's life, and she knew from head to toe that he would live through this final battle with the Darkest of all wizards.

Draco came up behind Hermione. "He's alive…" he whispered.

Hermione grabbed his hands and wrapped his arms around her body so he was standing behind her. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Harry and Voldemort.

"Mione, he can do this. He'll win."

"I hope you're right," she whispered. She wanted to rush to his aide and help him, but he had already yelled that he was not to be helped. He said that it had to be him. She saw Ginny standing across the Hall with her right hand pressed to her heart. She couldn't believe that Harry gave her that ring before he walked to his death. It wasn't that she thought it was silly. She thought it was the most romantic thing she had ever heard of.

She turned her attention back to Harry, whose green eyes were burning with the desire to shout a curse that shot the same color light that was in his eyes. In fact, she thought, it looked like all he would have to do was say the words, and the curse really could come from his gaze.

The two powerful wizards walked in circles, each having their wands drawn without shouting any curses. This was more than a battle of wands, and they both knew that. Harry broke the news to Voldemort that his Horcruxes were finished. What he said next explained everything she had been wondering in the last five minutes since seeing that her best friend was alive after all.

"Don't you understand why I'm alive?" Harry asked Voldemort. "You only killed the part of you that lived in me." Responding to the confused look on his enemy's face Harry said, "That's right. You didn't know you turned me into a Horcrux, did you? You put a part of you in me when you tried to kill me after killing my parents."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her best friend, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, had a piece of Voldemort in him the whole time. In her mind, that was why he loved so deeply. It was his heart's way of fighting off the evil that had been in him all along. The love his mother had shown him was what gave him that power over the evil.

"So, Riddle," Harry said, "I guess this is it. We're equals now, and it's either me or you. It's time to decide who lives.

The Chosen One and his target stopped moving and stared each other down. Hermione couldn't look. She turned around and wrapped her arms around Draco's neck, burying her face in his shoulder. He held her tight. Draco looked at Ginny who was still standing alone. He smiled with some relief when her brothers went over to her. George, Ron, and Bill surrounded her, prepared to comfort her if need be. He saw tears making her cheeks shiny with worry. It would be the second time in one night she had to process the knowledge that he was gone.

"Well, Tom? Make your move. You know you want me dead. You've been waiting for this moment for sixteen years. Here's your chance."

There was a gasp of protest from Ginny, and Hermione dug her face further into Draco's chest.

One thing was different, this time, though. Harry never put his wand down to sacrifice himself. He was going to fight.

"Very well, Potter…_Avada…"_

_"…Expelliarmus!_..."

"…_Kedavra!"_ Their spells met directly in the middle and Harry's spell rebounded Voldemort's Killing Curse back on himself.

There was a great hush in the Hall as Voldemort fell to his death. After everyone realized that what they had seen was the same thing everyone else had seen and that it was true, Ginny ran to Harry and threw herself into his waiting arms.

"Hermione…" Draco tried to pry her off.

"Is it over? Did Harry win?"

"He won," Draco said with a grin from ear to ear.

"He won? He won…he won!" Hermione jumped up and down and squealed. "HE WON! WE WON!" She kissed Draco without letting her toothy grin leave her face.

Across the room, Harry picked Ginny up when she threw herself onto him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and she kissed him like never before. Ron, George, and Bill turned away, unable to watch their little sister snogging Harry like there was no tomorrow, no matter how romantic it was.

"Ginny, let me put you down." She unwrapped her legs from him and he took her right hand in both of his. He pulled off the ring and got down on one knee.

Draco and Hermione stopped kissing to look when someone "Awwed" and pointed next to them. To Hermione's surprise, it was Cho who let out the "aww." George, Bill, and Ron turned back around and Bill reached out for Fleur who just came up next to him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's attention was directed in to the same place, and time stopped.

Ginny smiled.

"I have to do this right, Ginny, and I want to do it now." Harry held up the ring. Ginny's brown eyes were shining with tears of joy for the second time in the last twenty-four hours. "I'm not expecting this to happen until we're older, but I want to know that I'll have you forever, no matter what."

Ginny nodded, indicating that she understood that the wedding wouldn't be happening for a few more years and Harry continued.

"Ginny Weasley, you know I love you with all of my heart and soul." She beamed and he said, "When the time is right, will you be my wife?"

"Harry, after nearly losing you twice today, I realized that I couldn't live without you. I literally felt like I wasn't breathing when Hagrid carried you out of the forest. I never want to be parted from you again. I would marry you tomorrow…er, if I weren't sixteen. But my answer is yes. When the time is right, I would love nothing more than to become your wife." Her face felt like it would break in half if she tried to smile any bigger.

Harry placed the ring back on her finger, this time on her left hand. Now it was really an engagement ring, and it really did fit perfectly, like Lily and Ginny were both meant to be Potter wives. He stood up and took her face in his hands and kissed her.

"I love you, Harry," she said.

"I love you, Ginny."

Unexpectedly, she let go of him and backed up. "What, Ginny? What is it?"

"This doesn't feel right."

"What doesn't feel right? If it's too soon, we could put it back on your right hand," Harry suggested.

"No, it's not that, it's just…Fred." She looked up at him, and then turned round to look at her family whose faces turned to frowns when they realized something was wrong. "Fred died today. I shouldn't be allowed to be this happy."

George walked over to his sister and hugged her. "Ginny, Fred would have been thrilled. He knows you'll miss him, but he wouldn't want you to stop living. He would understand how important Harry is to you. We've both said for years that one day Harry would wise up and notice you, and you'd be together forever."

"You did?"

"We did," he assured her. "He's looking down on you right now…or up at you?" Ginny let out a smile, as did everyone else who knew Fred Weasley. "Wherever he is, he's ecstatic for you. He wants you to be happy, Gin."

"George is right." Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stepped up, followed by Bill and Ron. Mr. Weasley continued, "Fred would be shaking Harry's hand right now, welcoming him to the family."

"Then you know what he would say?" Bill asked.

"What," Ginny asked.

"He'd say, 'Even though Harry's been part of the family since the day he saved your life…you two have been destined for each other since you were eleven and twelve."

"Thanks, everyone," Ginny said. Then she hugged each Weasley in turn, including Fleur.

Harry entered the circle of Weasleys as Ron pulled him into a hug. "Take care of her, Harry. You're my best mate, you know, and I wouldn't want anyone else to marry my sister."

"Thanks, Ron."

Mrs. Weasley took Harry's face in her motherly hands. "Harry, dear, we couldn't be happier for the two of you, and we're so glad to have you back."

"You gave us quite a scare," Mr. Weasley added.

Harry located Ginny in the sea of red hair. "Are we good?" he asked her as he took her hands in his.

"We're good," she said. Harry took his future wife in his arms again and held her until he was tapped on the shoulder by Hermione.

"Congratulations, you two." She hugged them both at the same time. Then she hugged Harry separately. "I'm so glad you're alive, Harry. Things wouldn't have been the same without you."

It was then that Harry noticed the necklace around her neck that Draco had given her for Christmas. "What's this?" he asked, pointing at it.

"Draco's way of putting a ring on my right hand," she replied. "My Christmas present."

"Still going through that Malfoy phase, huh?" he asked jokingly.

"Harry," she slapped him on the arm.

"I'm only joking, Hermione." He turned to Draco and shook his hand. "You've got yourself a tough one, here."

"I think I can handle it," Draco smiled. "By the way, Potter, thanks for killing Voldemort."

It was such a meaningful comment wrapped up into such a simple sentence that it sounded funny, which would explain why everyone laughed.

"Oh, no sweat," Harry laughed and slapped Draco in a brotherly way on the back.

Harry turned to Ginny. "Speaking of Christmas presents, my dear…you've gotten yours…" He gestured at his own body with his hands.

Ginny laughed. "Follow me," she said.

On the way out of the Great Hall, Harry spotted Neville. "Hang on a sec, Gin." He dragged her over to the spot where Neville was talking to Luna.

"Hey, Neville," Harry shouted.

"Harry! You had us worried, you know," Neville greeted him with enthusiasm.

"So I've heard. Listen, Neville, thanks for killing Nagini. Voldemort wouldn't have been finished without your help," Harry said.

"Actually, Harry, I didn't even know it was a big deal until Ron told me. I was just trying to make Voldemort angry." Neville's use of the Dark Lord's name surprised Harry, but he didn't comment.

"Well still, thanks, Neville. Now er, I have to go." He gestured to Ginny.

"Oh, I see. Congratulations by the way," Neville added.

"Thanks, see you later!" He ran off to join Ginny and she took him up to the North Tower.

When they were sitting by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny handed him box wrapped in scarlet wrapping parchment. Harry unwrapped it and inside was a plaque that looked like it belonged on someone's front door. It said, "The Potters Welcome You."

"Ginny, what is this?" Harry asked.

"You think you were the only one planning our future this year?"

He beamed at her. "I love it."

"There's one more thing. Look in the box."

Harry removed a layer of tissue and saw that what gave part of the cushioning for the plaque was a Weasley sweater. He laughed. "How could I go a year without one of your Mum's sweaters?"

Ginny shrugged. "She gave it to me when we were at the Burrow for Christmas and asked me to give it to you."

"I'll have to thank her," Harry said sincerely. "C'mon, let's go back down and find everyone."

There was no need. Everyone had made their way to the common room and were climbing through the portrait hole as Harry and Ginny were about to stand up.

"Hope you two are finished," said George.

"We were just about to find you," Ginny told him.

"Did you like your present?" Hermione asked. "I helped."

"I love it," Harry said and turned to Mrs. Weasley. "Thanks for the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Not a problem, dear."

Everyone joined them by the fire, Hermione cuddling into Draco's lap, and Ginny sitting on Harry's to make more room on the furniture.

They spent the night talking and reminiscing about the loved ones they lost that night, and Harry was forced to recount every detail of what happened when he was in the forest. Draco was thrilled that his mother helped save Harry. He had seen her downstairs and she promised to keep his father away from him and Hermione. Then she had hugged Hermione and said she was glad Draco had such a positive influence in his life.

Hermione sat now watching her second family laugh and talk. She couldn't have asked for anything more out of this day, other than possibly having Fred, Lupin, and Tonks return to life. Seeing as that wouldn't happen, she accepted it for what it was. She turned to look at the man she knew she would grow old with. "I love you, Dray," she told him.

He kissed her. "I love you, more, Gorgeous," he replied. "Thanks for being the final piece of my puzzle."

She nuzzled against him and laughed as George recounted a hilarious memory of Fred. Good won in the end, and she could not have been prouder to be a part of this family, even if it wasn't by marriage or blood. As for Draco, the heart wanted what it wanted. If she learned one thing from falling in love with a Slytherin God it was that you shouldn't struggle with your heart, and she knew Draco had realized the same thing. Good could always come from being honest with your heart.

Author's note: Thanks for reading "Struggles of the Heart." I really hope you all liked it! Please let me know if you think this story could use a sequel. I'm not sure what to write next, and I could use some suggestions! What would you like to read about? Couples ideas, a sequel to this…? Peace -HogwartsValedictorian715


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